KUALA LUMPUR (July 23): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim on Wednesday announced one-off RM100 cash handouts to all adults in conjunction with Independence Day.
The cash assistance will be channelled to every Malaysian citizen above the age of 18 through their MyKad under the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah programme, Anwar said in a televised announcement. The initiative, involving allocation of RM2 billion, is expected to benefit 22 million people, he said.
“I stress this is the first time in history that cash aid is distributed to all adult citizens,” Anwar said, noting that the total allocation for the programme that also includes Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah will rise to RM15 billion for 2025.
The announcement, alongside other measures to ease pressures from rising cost of living, has been teased in Anwar’s social media posts since July 15.
“This assistance is given individually, not per household. This means a household, for instance, if comprising a husband, wife, and two adult children, will receive RM400,” he added.
Its use, however, will be restricted and must be utilised between Aug 31 and Dec 31 for the purchase of basic goods at more than 4,100 stores including supermarkets and grocery stores. Any unused aid under the initiative will be redistributed for vulnerable group assistance programmes in 2026.
Prefacing the announcement, Anwar acknowledged cost-of-living challenges even as inflation eased to an over four-year low in June, and unveiled several “immediate efforts” to ease the people’s burden.
He also announced that the scheduled increase in toll rates at 10 highways has been frozen, a move that would involve compensation of over RM500 million to concessionaires from the government.
Further, the allocation for the Madani Rahmah Sales, which offers daily essential goods at discounted prices, has been doubled to RM600 million to both expand its geographical reach as well as increase the types of goods covered under the programme.
Meanwhile, Anwar announced an additional public holiday on Sept 15 in conjunction with Malaysia Day celebration the next day.
The retail price of RON95 petrol will be lowered to RM1.99 per litre for eligible motorists, from RM2.05 per litre currently, under the government’s plan to retarget subsidies on petrol.
However, the implementation date of the new petrol price and details on RON95 subsidy retargeting remained unclear, with Anwar only stating that “detailed announcements” are to come by end-September this year.