KOTA SAMARAHAN: The Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) financial aid touched the hearts of many rural residents today, including a recipient who shared his feelings of joy and surprise upon receiving the aid.
“I feel happy and surprised when I found out about this aid,” said Saji Pawi, a farmer from Kampung Meranek. He shared that the assistance is meaningful to his family, which consists of his wife and two children.
Saji explained that he works in a garden while his wife makes and sells ‘kuih muih’ from home.
“Today, we bought kitchen necessities. This aid really helps our family to get by until the end of the month, God willing,” he said.
The assistance also eased the burden of traveling long distances to the nearest shop, which is approximately 5km away.
“Despite the distance, we are still grateful because this aid is very meaningful,” Saji said.
The SARA financial aid aims to support the needy by providing essential daily goods that are critical for families. The spirit of togetherness was evident as recipients shared how this aid had brought relief to their households.
“Apart from gratitude, we hope that this kind of assistance can continue and benefit more families,” Saji concluded.
Meanwhile, Abdul Rahman Ali, a first-time recipient from Kampung Mang, expressed his joy and gratitude upon receiving the donation.
“This is the first time a programme like this has been held, and I am very happy and grateful to the government for giving us encouragement,” said the 58-year-old.
Abdul Rahman explained that the application process for the assistance required fulfilling specific conditions, including eligibility as a recipient from the B40 category (low-income group).
“I applied in 2023, and I received the good news via a WhatsApp message in March last year,” he said.
He also shared that the assistance was incredibly helpful to his family of 12, including children and grandchildren.
“With the rising cost of essential goods, this aid has greatly eased our burden, especially in buying kitchen necessities,” Abdul Rahman added.
While grateful for the support, he hoped that the types of subsidised goods could be expanded in the future.
“Currently, the assistance is limited to basic items like food, which is helpful, but perhaps it could include other essentials like electronics that are also important for large families like ours,” he suggested.
Abdul Rahman praised the government’s initiative in supporting the low-income group and emphasised the importance of continuing such programmes.
“This aid is crucial, especially as the cost of living continues to rise,” he said.
He also revealed that he had spent RM180 on kitchen supplies, combining the RM100 aid with an additional RM80 of his own funds.
“Even though the assistance was only RM100, I added more to ensure we had enough for our family,” he explained.
Programmes like SARA not only alleviate financial burdens but also bring hope to families in need. Abdul Rahman ended his conversation with a message of gratitude and hope that more people would benefit from similar initiatives in the future.
