STR Phase 3 Begins To Be Disbursed To 5.3 Million Recipients Today
KUALA LUMPUR: The Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) Phase 3 payment begins to be disbursed in stages today to 5.3 million recipients nationwide, an increase of 300,000 recipients compared to five million recipients at the beginning of the year.
The Ministry of Finance (MOF) in a statement on Saturday informed that the MADANI Government has allocated RM1.2 billion for the STR Phase 3 payment, with 3.9 million recipients consisting of low-income and lower-middle-income households, while another 1.4 million are single elderly individuals.
According to the ministry, for Phase 3, recipients will receive payments between RM150 to RM600 depending on income and number of children, while single elderly individuals will receive RM150.
“The total STR that has been disbursed for the three phases of 2026 amounts to RM3.6 billion,” according to the statement.
MOF said depending on the eligibility category, recipients can receive assistance of up to RM3,300 cumulatively as of August 2026 through STR Phase 1 to Phase 3 as well as the monthly Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA).
According to the statement, that amount does not include the one-off SARA for All given to all Malaysian citizens aged 18 and above.
The ministry also explained that starting from 2026, assistance to the people has been structured so that support is received more regularly throughout the year, with STR disbursed quarterly while SARA provides basic assistance monthly to eligible recipients.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said that in a situation where the cost of living remains a challenge for some of the people, the government will continue to ensure that assistance reaches those in need.
“That is why the number of households receiving STR has increased from 3.7 million at the beginning of the year to 3.9 million for Phase 3.
“STR and SARA help lighten the people’s daily needs, while the government continues to implement reforms and strengthen the economy to increase the people’s income and standard of living. Our goal is not just to provide assistance, but to ensure that the people’s lives improve,” he said.
According to MOF, the restructuring of government finances and improvements in governance have enabled more national revenue to be channeled to those in need.
It said the overall allocation for STR and SARA for the year 2026 amounts to RM15 billion, the highest in the history of the Federal Government and nearly three times higher compared to the 1Malaysia People’s Aid (BR1M) payments in 2016.
Meanwhile, for payment matters, recipients who have bank accounts will receive the STR Phase 3 payment through direct crediting into their respective accounts starting today, while recipients without bank accounts can claim their payments at Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) branches nationwide.
In the meantime, MOF informed that new applications and appeals for STR are open throughout the year to reduce the risk of exclusion, through the official STR portal at bantuantunai.hasil.gov.my.
The public can also obtain further information through the frequently asked questions (FAQ) on the official STR portal as well as the official SARA portal at sara.gov.my.
Astro Awani