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MALAYSIANS eligible for the RM100 Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) credit have been urged not to rush redemptions, as system overloads continue to cause intermittent delays at retail terminals nationwide.
Retail advisor and Managing Director of Mydin Mohamed Holdings Berhad, Datuk Wira Dr Ameer Ali Mydin, has called for greater public patience to ensure the B40 income group — for whom the aid is intended — can access basic necessities first.
“We have four months to redeem the credit, so let’s give priority to the B40 who are genuinely in need,” he told Sinar Harian yesterday. “The issues stem from the sheer volume of users — 22 million recipients — accessing the system at the same time. The government has given ample time. I hope everyone will remain calm and avoid peak hours.”
He advised users to attempt redemptions during off-peak hours, such as early mornings or late at night, adding that system operators, including Microsoft and Geofreasy, are actively working to resolve the issues.
The Ministry of Finance (MoF) had earlier acknowledged in a statement that an unexpectedly high number of transactions had caused serious slowdowns in the MyKasih payment system, which is used to process the aid.
The ministry confirmed the situation had been particularly disruptive in certain retail locations and apologised for the inconvenience, adding that it would continue to monitor the initiative’s implementation to ensure smoother operations.
According to Ameer, system instability first became apparent on 31 August, the day the redemption period began, with delays surfacing after 10 a.m.
“Things worsened on the second day as even more users attempted to redeem the credit at the same time,” he said. “The system operator has issued an official statement and initiated several remedial measures, including reducing the number of terminals operating per outlet to ease system pressure.”
Despite the hiccups, the third day of implementation — 2 September 2025 — saw record-high activity, with over 1.1 million successful transactions amounting to RM75.3 million in sales by 10.30 p.m., up from RM50 million on 31 August.
Overall, more than 2.9 million Malaysians have made purchases using the SARA credit since the rollout, with total spending reaching RM192.4 million across the country.
The MyKasih system reportedly experienced a spike in traffic, handling over 2,000 approved transactions per minute — nearly four times the previous peak of 540 per minute recorded in April 2025. To accommodate the surge, processing capacity has been increased from 5,000 to 15,000 queries per minute.
Each transaction typically requires multiple backend processes, including MyKad scanning, item validation, and final confirmation.
The MoF expressed gratitude for the overwhelming public response and reiterated its commitment to ongoing system improvements, guided by user feedback.
The RM100 SARA credit remains valid until 31 December 2025 and can be redeemed at over 7,300 participating retail outlets nationwide. - Sept 3, 2025