KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 8, 2025 — Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan today took a firm stance against retailers allegedly inflating prices during Malaysia’s ongoing Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (Sara) appreciation aid rollout, pledging enforcement under the Price Control and Anti-Profiteering Act 2011.
Responding to social media reports suggesting that a few traders had raised prices to counterbalance the discounted Sara benefits, the minister affirmed that such actions would not be tolerated. “If this has happened, investigations and action can be implemented,” he said in a statement issued by the Ministry of Finance (MOF). The government also commended supermarkets and grocery outlets that maintained fair pricing for aid recipients.
Amir Hamzah urged the public to play a vigilant role in safeguarding the programme by lodging complaints where needed via the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN). He highlighted multiple accessible channels for registering grievances, including the KPDN e-Aduan portal, a WhatsApp line, and a dedicated call centre, to ensure swift action against any wrongdoing.
Despite isolated reports of profiteering, the Sara programme continues to gain traction with stability and public participation soaring. On the eighth day of the scheme, total transaction volumes reached RM102.5 million, serving 1.7 million beneficiaries, and seen to maintain a near-perfect 99.9% system success rate. Since the programme’s launch on August 31, it has benefited over 11.8 million people, with cumulative spending hitting RM745.7 million. The MOF attributed this strong performance to concerted efforts to enhance system capacity across the implementation period.
As the Sara initiative expands to cushion vulnerable households amid rising living costs, the emphasis now turns to preserving its integrity. The ministry’s warning serves as a reminder that public welfare schemes must be shielded from abuse, ensuring that support reaches intended recipients unimpeded by malpractice.
