SARA 2026: RM100 Aid Returns – Here’s What Actually Changed

After the success of SARA 2025, the government is continuing that aid in 2026 with another RM100 aid for all Malaysians starting 9 February 2026. And just like in 2025, the money will be credited directly to your MyKad to help cover your daily necessities, especially with Chinese New Year and Ramadan just around the corner. But even if you choose not to spend it during the festivities, you have until the end of the year (31 December 2026) to fully utilise the one-off assistance you received.

So What’s The Difference For SARA in 2026?

Well for one, they improved the server capacity, and yes it’s that same server that frustrated millions of Malaysians last year when the programme first launched. So the system isn’t going to crash when everyone tries to use it on the same day.

Another frustration they sought to alleviate is the number of participating retailers. Many Malaysians were unsure and confused as to which store they can actually buy from, especially when the numbers were limited. Now they have almost doubled the numbers to more than 8,000 outlets, which includes more than 2,000 small grocery stores. This way, you won’t have to travel too far to enjoy this aid.

They’ve even added more things you can buy now by increasing the categories from 14 to 15 and expanded the eligible items from 90,000 to over 140,000. Most notably, frozen food has been added to the list, so you can add burgers, meat, seafood, nuggets and ready-to-eat meals to your list of SARA purchases.

Last but not least, they’ve also made some rule changes for those who are bujang (still single) and earning below RM2,500. Instead of receiving the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) cash like they did in 2025, they will instead receive a RM50 SARA credit per month. So for you singles out there, you will still need to apply for STR to get your monthly SARA benefits. 

The Rest Remains The Same

Whatever else that was announced last year, continues on this year. For the households (married or single parents) who are either earning less than RM2,500 or between RM2,500 and RM5,000 and the elderly, still receive the same aid every month as they did in 2025.

And in case you didn’t know, for those who receive the monthly aid, you don’t have to use up all of it in a single month. Say you are eligible for RM50 per month and only spent RM30 in that month. Next month, you’ll have RM70 that you can use. And if you didn’t spend that RM70 at all, you’ll have RM120 in the next month. So whether you want to save it for a rainy day that may happen this year or just make the most of it month to month, your call. Just make sure you use it all before 31 December 2026. I mean, it’s money that doesn’t come out of your paycheck. So why not make the most of it?

If you’re still unfamiliar about SARA or need a refresh, especially in terms of what it is or how to redeem it, check out our previous article here: https://www.imoney.my/articles/sara-apply-how 

Need to check your eligibility? Just fill in your IC here and find out: https://checkstatus.mykasih.net/sara2/checkstatus

The Bigger Economic Picture

SARA encourages people to spend. When people are spending at retailers, retailers need to stock up. When they need to stock up, they contact their suppliers. When suppliers are supplying more goods, production goes up. 

That being said, the program isn’t just only helping everyday Malaysians, they are also helping the entire ecosystem – from the consumers to the retailers to the factories and the farmers – Malaysia as a country is benefiting from the RM8 billion the government has set aside for Malaysians this year.