KUANTAN, Dec 28: The Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) aid programme has gone beyond easing recipients’ living costs; it has also offered small traders crucial capital to boost their sales stock.
Mohd Shukrillah Muhamed Norlida, 39, a trader in Nenasi, Pekan, said the aid had significantly eased his family’s daily expenses and given extra capital for his business.
“SARA has been very helpful. I use it every month to buy daily necessities, and the additional RM100 (one-off) assistance is especially useful, as it allows me to purchase cooking supplies for my business,” he told Bernama.
He added that, despite some seeing the amount as small, the SARA assistance still provided much-needed relief, particularly in lowering the operating costs of small businesses.
“SARA helps me buy stuff for my shop. Prices are getting high, so if I don’t use it for myself, I use it for my business. As a trader, this help really comes in handy,” he said.
Pensioner K. Ravendran, 65, said the SARA aid had been of some help in preparing for this year’s Deepavali celebrations.
“During Deepavali, my children from Kuala Lumpur came back early to buy festive essentials. Since they were all working, many used SARA to get cooking supplies,” said the father of three.
Ravendran expressed gratitude for the government’s concern, which extended support to not just low-income households but also the middle-income group.
“Thank you to the government. The aid may be small, but it is very useful. I’m sure other families feel the same way,” he said.
On Dec 18, Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan said Perlis, Perak, Kelantan, Terengganu, Kedah, Pahang, and the Federal Territory of Labuan recorded an average SARA uptake rate of nearly 100 per cent.
He said the government has not faced major challenges in implementing SARA thus far, despite involving over 20 million consumer transactions.
–BERNAMA