As of 9:30 pm tonight (August 31), approximately 850,000 Malaysians have spent over RM50 million on the first day of the Penghargaan Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) initiative.
In a statement on Sunday, the Ministry of Finance (MOF) said the system experienced a surge in transactions due to overwhelming response from SARA recipients.
The statement noted that this situation caused significant performance issues in the payment terminals operated through the MyKasih network at several locations.
Despite the slowdown, the ministry confirmed that transactions were still being received and processed.
“MOF and MyKasih have taken steps to increase system capacity so that on September 1, 2025, the public can continue making purchases through SARA smoothly and without disruption.”
“To ensure the system is stable and ready for continued use on September 1, MyKasih will carry out system maintenance tonight,” the statement added.
The ministry also apologised for any inconvenience caused and assured that it will continue to monitor the initiative’s implementation to ensure smooth operation.
According to the statement, today’s transaction volume far exceeded previous experiences. Up until August 30, 2025, the monthly implementation of SARA had been handling an average of 600,000 transactions per day.
Reminder: The one-time RM100 SARA credit remains valid until December 31, 2025, and can be used at over 7,300 registered retail outlets nationwide.
The RM100 SARA credit is a one-off cash assistance given to over 22 million Malaysians aged 18 and above, credited directly into their MyKad.
Have you managed to use your SARA credit? Let us know about your experience!
Also read: KPDN Deputy Minister: RM100 SARA Aid Could Be Enough to Support Elderly Couple for a Month
