Credit : Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's X
KUALA LUMPUR, November 4, 2026 – Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has announced that the fourth phase of Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) cash aid, worth RM1.1 billion, is being paid out from today to more than five million recipients nationwide, just days ahead of Deepavali.
In a post shared on X on Wednesday evening, Anwar said he made the announcement while visiting Deepavali sales and festive preparations in Brickfields in the afternoon, adding that the payments would be channelled from today until Friday.
“The MADANI Government has laid out Budget 2027, which touches every layer of society,” he wrote in Malay, alongside two infographics on cash aid and on Budget 2027 allocations for the Indian community, the latter carrying the message that no community will be left marginalised.
According to statements reported by Utusan Malaysia and Kosmo, Phase 4 covers 5.4 million recipients, made up of four million households earning RM5,000 a month or less and 1.4 million senior citizens without a spouse. Existing recipients are being paid in stages until November 6, while new recipients and those whose appeals were approved will receive their payments from November 16.
Depending on their eligibility category, households will receive up to RM500, while single senior citizens will receive RM150. Recipients with bank accounts will have the money credited directly, while those without one can collect their payment in cash at Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) branches.
Anwar, who is also Finance Minister, said he hoped the payment would help ease the festive spending of families celebrating Deepavali, particularly the Indian community, which accounts for more than 630,000 STR recipients. He said the aid would also help other recipients manage their daily needs and year-end expenses.
Speaking at the Mega Bazaar Deepavali 2026 in Brickfields, the Prime Minister stressed that government assistance reaches all Malaysians, the New Straits Times reported. “I want to emphasise this so everyone understands: Malays, Chinese, Indians, Orang Asli, Sikhs – everyone is included,” he said, adding that the Indian community should not view help channelled through the Malaysian Indian Transformation Unit (Mitra) as its only source of support.
He said STR and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) disbursements had so far reached RM12 billion, with STR Phases 1 to 3 totalling RM3.6 billion. The government’s allocation for the two cash aid programmes stands at RM15 billion this year and is expected to rise to RM16 billion next year, compared with RM8 billion in 2022 and RM6 billion in 2018, Harian Metro reported.
“In raising the floor as a pillar of the MADANI Economy, the government is committed to strengthening the well-being of all, regardless of race,” Anwar said after touring the bazaar. Human Resources Minister Datuk Seri R. Ramanan, Digital Minister Gobind Singh Deo, Communications Minister Datuk Seri Fahmi Fadzil and Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department (Federal Territories) Hannah Yeoh were also present.
The Ministry of Finance said 1.68 million recipients who had not updated their application details for three consecutive years had been reminded by SMS to do so through the official STR portal, so that their eligibility for 2027 can be reviewed. The public can check their status at the official portal, bantuantunai.hasil.gov.my, and is urged to beware of fake links and scam attempts.
Credit : Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim’s X
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