KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim wants the disbursement of the Rahmah Cash Aid (STR) Phase 2 to be done by mid-Ramadan or early April before Aidilfitri.

He said the Ministry of Finance and the relevant agencies have been notified of this instruction in a bid to alleviate the burden of the people, especially among the B40 group.

"InsyaAllah, two weeks before Aidilfitri, we will disburse the STR for the B40 group," he said during the Minister's Question Time at the Dewan Rakyat sitting today.

On the improvement made to the STR, Anwar said as announced during the tabling of Budget 2023, hardcore poor families and groups are eligible to receive aid up to RM3,100, despite the fact that the Keluarga Malaysia Aid (BKM) amounting to RM2,500 was still being distributed to the recipients.

"There are categories, for example, households with five children, or three children...and most importantly the increased amount for hardcore poor, they'll get extra RM600 from the earlier allocation.

"As for BKM, RM500 for single father and RM300 for senior citizen," he said.

Anwar said the government is also opening new applications for STR and calling on all qualified individuals to apply before March 31.

"As of March 13, a total of 320,103 individuals have registered and received the STR," he said.

Anwar when tabling Budget 2023 on Feb 4 said the STR Phase 1 for the B40 group is given to households with an income of less than RM2,500 who are eligible to receive aid of up to RM2,500 based on the number of children.

He said the government will also give an additional contribution of RM600 to the poorest STR recipient households, according to e-Kasih data, meaning that families in the hardcore poor group are eligible to receive aid of up to RM3,100.

Anwar said STR would help ease the cost of living for 8.7 million beneficiaries involving an allocation of almost RM8 billion.

-- BERNAMA