MyKasih & SARA 2026: Eligibility, Balance Checks and Credit Dates
Same card, three different names: MyKasih, SARA, eKasih. Let's untangle them, then show you the two-minute balance check.
Table of Contents
Start with the names, because everyone mixes them up
SARA (Sumbangan Asas Rahmah) is the government’s monthly basic-goods aid. MyKasih is the foundation and terminal system that processes it at store counters, which is why people say “MyKasih card”. eKasih is the national poverty registry: a database, not a payment. You can be on eKasih and receive SARA, but all three are different things.
Who qualifies, and for how much
STR-recipient households get up to RM100 a month (RM1,200 a year); the eKasih hardcore-poor category up to RM200 (RM2,400); eligible singles RM50 (RM600). In 2026, monthly SARA expanded to 8.1 million recipients with an RM8 billion allocation, up from 5.4 million and RM5 billion in 2025 (MOF, Jan 2026). The combined STR + SARA maximum for one household: RM4,600 a year.
And don’t forget SARA untuk Semua: a one-off RM100 via MyKad for every citizen 18 and above, credited from 9 February 2026 and valid until 31 December 2026. It stacks within a household: four adults means RM400 usable together. Haven’t spent yours? The balance is still sitting there, and it expires with the year.
Checking your balance, two ways
- At the counter: bring your MyKad to any registered store and ask the cashier to check the balance at the MyKasih terminal before paying. Easiest.
- Online: the official portal sara.gov.my, with your MyKad number, for status and credit notices. Skip any “SARA checker” links from social media; official portal only.
When does the credit land?
The 2026 monthly cycle began 9 January and credits at the start of each month to eligible MyKads (official portal notices); later approvals receive credit that counts their earlier eligible months. By 1 March, 82% of monthly recipients had already spent their aid, roughly RM1 billion (Dewan reply, Mar 2026). For the current month’s exact date, check sara.gov.my.
What you can buy, and where
The aid covers 15 categories of essentials: rice, cooking oil, eggs, milk, basic medicine, stationery and, since February 2026, frozen food, spanning more than 140,000 items. The store network runs about 3,000 small retailers plus major supermarkets, with a government target of 10,000 small stores by end-2026 so rural recipients aren’t tied to hypermarkets.
Common problems, quick fixes
Card won’t scan? Use the original MyKad (not a copy) and a dedicated MyKasih terminal; not every counter in big stores is activated. Replaced your MyKad? The aid follows your IC number, not the chip; if credit doesn’t appear after replacement, check sara.gov.my. Think you qualify but receive nothing? SARA eligibility flows through your STR/eKasih status, so apply for STR first at bantuantunai.hasil.gov.my; that’s the doorway.
Sources: MOF statements 5 Jan and 9 Feb 2026; Dewan Rakyat reply 4 Mar 2026; Budget 2026. Individual checks: sara.gov.my (official).
FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions on MyKasih & SARA 2026
SARA is the government’s monthly assistance, MyKasih is the terminal system that processes the assistance at shop counters, and eKasih is the national poverty database, all three have different functions.
Bring your MyKad to the registered shop counter for immediate verification, or check online at the official portal sara.gov.my.
The monthly cycle starts at the beginning of the month, credited directly to the eligible recipient’s MyKad, refer to the latest information at sara.gov.my.
