The 2026 payment calendar
Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) was restructured this year: it’s now paid quarterly, alongside SARA’s monthly basic aid. Here’s where 2026 stands:
| Phase | Payment began | Allocation | Recipients |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | 20 January 2026 | RM1.1 billion | 5.0 million |
| Phase 2 | 10 March 2026 (brought forward for Raya) | ~RM1.3 billion* | 5.2 million |
| Phase 3 | 15 August 2026 | RM1.2 billion | 5.3 million |
| Phase 4 | Date not yet announced, expected Oct–Nov (quarterly pattern; 2025’s Phase 4 was brought forward to 18 Oct) | TBA | TBA |
Total disbursed across the first three phases: RM3.6 billion (*Phase 2 figure derived from MOF’s announced phase totals: RM3.6b less Phase 1’s RM1.1b and Phase 3’s RM1.2b). The full-year STR + SARA allocation is RM15 billion, the largest in federal history, nearly three times the BR1M payments of 2016 (MOF, 15 Aug 2026).
Phase 4 heads-up, verified: while the payment date hasn’t been announced, the official window for new applications and appeals counting toward Phase 4 closes 30 September 2026 (window opened 16 June, per the STR portal). Applications approved in this window are paid with the Phase 4 batch, so if you’ve never applied or were rejected earlier, September is the deadline that matters. [Editorial note: update the Phase 4 date row the day MOF announces, last year’s announcement came at the Budget tabling.]
How much you get in Phase 3
Phase 3 payments range from RM150 to RM600 depending on household income and number of children; single senior citizens receive RM150. Of the 5.3 million recipients, 3.9 million are low- and lower-middle-income households and 1.4 million are single seniors, 300,000 more recipients than at the start of the year.
Depending on your category, combined STR (Phases 1–3) plus monthly SARA could reach up to RM3,300 by August 2026, and that’s before the one-off SARA untuk Semua payment every adult citizen received.
Cara semak: checking your status in under two minutes
- Go to bantuantunai.hasil.gov.my, the only official portal. Anything else claiming to be an STR checker is a risk.
- Log in with your MyKad number.
- Select Semakan Status, you’ll see your eligibility category and payment status per phase.
- Bank account on file? Payments arrive by direct credit in stages from each start date. No bank account? Collect cash at any BSN branch nationwide.
Not receiving STR but think you qualify?
Applications and appeals (rayuan) stay open all year on the same portal, this changed from the fixed windows of earlier years. If your household income has dropped, your family has grown, or you’ve never applied: the portal takes new applications any time, and approved applicants join the next phase.
STR vs SARA, which one are you looking at?
Easy to mix up, because many households get both. STR is quarterly cash into your bank account (or BSN). SARA is monthly credit on your MyKad for essential goods at registered stores. Different payments, different checks, SARA questions live at sara.gov.my, and we’ve built a full MyKasih/SARA guide as well.
Got your STR? Make it work harderCompare savings accounts that actually pay interestSources: Ministry of Finance statement, 15 Aug 2026 (via Bernama/The Star/The Edge); STR official portal notices (Phase 4 application window 16 Jun–30 Sep 2026; Phase 4 2025 brought forward to 18 Oct 2025); MOF Budget 2026 announcements, Jan–Mar 2026. Check bantuantunai.hasil.gov.my for individual status.
The post STR 2026: Payment Dates, Semakan, Eligibility and Appeals: All In One Place appeared first on iMoney Malaysia.
