KUCHING: The implementation of the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) Appreciation Aid as a one-off RM100 credit on MyKad has been widely praised for making daily necessity purchases easier and safer for the public.
Sharifah Hafizah Wan Adeni, a 39-year-old Student Management Assistant, stated that the government’s initiative provides both convenience and security while helping to avoid the risk of cash loss, particularly for senior citizens.
She suggested that more retailers should accept this payment method and ensure their payment terminals are consistently maintained in good working condition.
“There should be more shops accepting this transaction, and all store counters must be fully operational for payments using MyKad,” she told Bernama.
The appreciation aid was credited to the MyKad of all citizens aged 18 and above starting August 31 and remains available until December 31 at over 4,100 retail grocery stores and supermarkets nationwide.
Teacher Mohd Amiruddin Muhiddin, aged 36, explained that the assistance via MyKad helps people manage their spending effectively while preventing potential cash misuse.
He expressed hope that the redemption method could be expanded to include Rahmah Sales in local areas for greater accessibility.
“I will use it to buy monthly essentials like soap and detergent, so my leftover salary can be saved for other expenses,“ he said.
James Gasing, a 50-year-old military retiree in Sibu, shared the view that using the MyKad for verification serves as a good measure to prevent credit misuse.
The father of five proposed making the aid redeemable via e-wallets and expanding the list of eligible items to include petrol for added convenience.
“We request that participating stores open more counters to make it easier for the public,“ he added.
As a recipient of MyKasih aid, he believes that using the MyKad for verification represents a positive step forward, though he hopes technical issues can be resolved promptly.
“Some recipients faced problems during redemption because the chip in their identification card could not be read by the payment device,“ he said.
Meanwhile, James’s wife Losna Taham plans to redeem her appreciation aid later this month to better organise the family’s expenses effectively.
“Based on our usual family budget, the RM200 worth of necessities we can buy will cover us for more than three to four months,” she said.
“So, this is very helpful for my family. It may seem small, but it makes a big difference.” – Bernama