PADANG BESAR: The government will conduct efforts to retarget subsidies in phases this year with improvements on social assistance, says Datuk Armizan Mohd Ali.
The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister said his ministry, the Finance Ministry and the Economy Ministry are in discussions to refine “cash transfers” provided to the people, including the Rahmah Cash Aid (STR), by considering the subsidy retargeting efforts.
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“We will carry out retargeting of subsidies in phases which will involve the diesel and RON95 components,” he told reporters after attending the Rahmah Sale programme, here Saturday (Jan 20).
He said among the improvements for the STR is to raise the amount and expand the assistance to a larger target group, adding that Malaysians should update their details on the Central Database Hub (Padu).
Padu is crucial in assisting the government to channel social assistance to the target groups and prevent individuals from being excluded, he added.
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Meanwhile, Armizan said the government’s commitment to helping the people was evident when it announced on Friday (Jan 19) that the amount for the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) cash aid will be increased to RM1,200 this year from RM600 last year.
“It involves a significant allocation. Last year, RM130mil was set aside, but this year the allocation has increased to RM700mil, in terms of the recipients, it only involved the hardcore poor last year, but this year, it will also benefit poor individuals, which is an increase of 700,000 recipients from 210,000,” he said.
On the Rahmah Sale, Armizan said the ministry will expand the programme to ensure that the people continue to benefit from it, in line with the increase in the allocation set aside for the imitative from RM100mil last year to RM200mil this year. – Bernama
