Government to disburse RM1.1 billion in fourth phase of STR aid
Payments for existing recipients run from Nov 4 to 6, with newly approved applicants and successful appellants due to receive aid from Nov 16.
Phase 4 of Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) will provide RM1.1 billion to 5.4 million recipients, Prime Minister and Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said. Households eligible for the aid will get up to RM500, while RM150 will go to each eligible single senior citizen.
Anwar outlined the payment schedule in a Ministry of Finance statement. Disbursements for current beneficiaries are scheduled in stages over Nov 4 to 6. Payments following new approvals or successful appeals will start on Nov 16.
The programme covers four million households earning no more than RM5,000, together with 1.4 million single senior citizens. Payment will be credited to beneficiaries’ bank accounts, with cash collection available at any Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) branch for those without accounts.
Anwar said the assistance was meant to help meet everyday costs and year-end expenses. He also expressed hope it would reduce financial pressures on families celebrating Deepavali, particularly the Indian community, with more than 630,000 STR recipients.
The government also asked 1.68 million recipients to update their details on the official STR portal after three consecutive years without an update. The information is needed for a reassessment of their eligibility for 2027.
For 2026, the government has allocated RM15 billion across STR and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA).
