More recipients put their RM100 Sara cash towards others in need
PETALING JAYA: While most look to use the government’s newly-credited RM100 Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) aid to cover their grocery expenses, others are taking the opportunity to give back to those who need it the most.
Under the now viral #JomShare100 movement, people from all walks of life hope to use their one-off RM100 aid to support fellow Malaysians or make a difference in someone else’s life.
Entrepreneur Alzari Joey @pualdidan, 55, plans to use the money on ingredients he will donate to a soup kitchen, which serves the homeless in Kuala Lumpur.
He said his decision was not just about wanting to be generous but also about fulfilling his patriotic responsibility to help Malaysians.
“It fills me with pride that I too can be a Malaysian who looks out for others whenever times are tough,” said Alzari, who lives in Shah Alam.
For Aiman Abdullah, 30, a business owner in Petaling Jaya, the decision to use his money to buy essentials to donate to charities was instinctive.
“Having been in difficult situations in the past, I understand just how important this RM100 could mean to another person while it would just be a drop in the ocean for others.
“Since my family and I are doing okay, it only felt natural to channel this money to a cause that needs it more.”
The same desire to help others was also what motivated building manager Soman Zachariah, 59, from Cheras to give his RM100 Sara aid to a shelter.
Having adopted his son from the shelter, Soman said it was a responsibility to be kind to others whenever possible.
“Even before we learned about the #JomShare100 movement, my wife and I had decided we would use our aid to buy groceries and donate them to the shelter.
“It feels good to give back, and to know it makes a real difference,” he added.
In GEORGE TOWN, a family of three went shopping for essentials, but none of it was for them.
Instead, public relations executive Aswirna Sukur, 45, and her parents Abdul Munir Ghazali, 60, and Sharifah Noorriati Syed Amiruddin, 68, used their Sara aid to help those in need.
They pooled their total of RM300 to buy rice, instant noodles, flour, eggs, detergent and canned food.
The groceries were then handed over to three underprivileged families.
“For us, the aid is a bonus. But for others, it can mean so much more.
“With the rising cost of living, many people are under pressure,” said Aswirna when met at the Mydin hypermarket in Bukit Jambul yesterday.
Sharifah Noorriati hopes their small gesture will inspire others to step forward.
Mydin Malaysia’s northern region executive director Azmin Saduruddin said the chain had increased the number of cashier counters following a surge in the number of shoppers using the Sara aid.
To encourage charitable giving, Mydin has also launched the ‘‘Pay It Forward – Beli & Derma” initiative, which enables customers to purchase pre-packed combo boxes using their Sara aid to be donated directly to those in need.
In JOHOR BARU, Razina Sew San San, a car sales assistant, 26, decided to extend a helping hand to two families in her neighbourhood by buying items such as 5kg rice, cooking oil and baby products.
“I want to buy groceries for them as one of the families just welcomed a newborn baby while the other family is struggling as the mother just lost her job due to an illness,” she said.
She recalled her own childhood where her family of seven was often helped by Good Samaritans.
For mother of three Nashashila Mohd Nasir, 37, the aid arrived at just the right time as her family is struggling financially due to some setbacks.
“Families like ours really need this, because I have not received my salary yet and my husband’s food stall has not been doing well lately.
“The RM100 aid helps us get by with necessities for at least a week. Since both my husband and I received it, that is RM200 for our household.
“The aid may be small for some but it is meaningful for people like us and we are thankful for what the government is trying to do for the rakyat,” she added.
Single parent Rosli Nun, 33, however, says that the RM100 could only last him and his son for around two weeks.
The fisherman from Kampung Orang Asli Sungai Temun added that he looks forward to future financial assistance to ease the burden.
The RM100 one-off aid, announced by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on July 23 was part of a wider cost-of-living relief package.
It was rolled out on Sunday in conjunction with the National Day 2025 celebrations.
Under the Sara initiative, all Malaysian citizens aged 18 and above received the cash assistance credited directly into their MyKad, which can be used to purchase necessities across 14 selected product categories.