Phase one of Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah to be paid out from tomorrow - PM

KUALA LUMPUR: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim today announced that the payment of phase one of Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) to 8.7 million people in the B40 group worth RM1.67 billion will be credited into the accounts of the registered recipients in stages from tomorrow.

He said the payment of STR phase one has been brought forward to January from the initial plan in March to ease the people's cost of living burden.

The STR payment was made according to categories with four million households receiving RM300 each while 1.2 million senior citizens without spouses and 3.5 million single individuals each receiving RM100.

"STR recipients in rural areas including Sabah and Sarawak, with or without bank accounts will also receive this payment on the same date," said the Prime Minister in a statement today.

Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said that recipients who do not have a bank account can cash out the payment at Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) branches beginning tomorrow.

Recipients can check their status from tomorrow (Tuesday) and further information regarding the payment is available at Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on STR's official portal via the link https://bantuantunnai.hasil.gov.my.

Meanwhile, Anwar said the STR is a rebranding of the cash aid programme for the B40 income group under the Finance Ministry and it will continue to be improved.

He said the Unity Government emphasised the 'rahmah' (compassion) approach in looking after the plight of the needy especially the vulnerable groups.

As such, the Prime Minister said the government introduced the Payung Rahmah concept as a parent to initiatives to help the groups face the cost of living challenges.

-- BERNAMA