Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Seri Ahmad Maslan has announced that recipients of the Rahmah Basic Contribution (SARa) program can now make cashless purchases of essential goods at 600 participating supermarkets and convenience stores across the country. This update came during a press conference held after the launch of the Program Pengakuan Sukarela (VDP) 2.0V in Putrajaya. The participating premises include renowned retailers such as Mydin Mohamed Holdings Bhd (Mydin), 99 Speedmart, Econsave, Lotus's Malaysia, and Giant Hypermarket.

Ahmad highlighted the convenience for SARa recipients, stating that they only need to present their identification card (MyKad) when making payments at any of the 600 designated supermarkets or convenience stores. Furthermore, any remaining balance from the first month can be carried forward and utilized in subsequent months.

To access the complete list of participating supermarkets and convenience stores, individuals can visit the official Cash Contribution Rahmah (STR) portal at the link https://bantuantunai.hasil.gov.my.

Here's how to purchase groceries through this program: 

Source: Ministry of Finance

Yesterday, the government announced that over 210,000 recipients in the hardcore poor category, identified through e-Kasih data, will begin receiving SARa benefits amounting to RM600. These cashless transactions will provide them with RM100 per month over a six-month period until December.

In addition, Ahmad shared a significant achievement of the Royal Malaysian Customs Department (JKDM), revealing that VDP 2.0 has successfully collected a total of RM5.57 million between June 6th and July 15th, 2023.

Explaining the scope of the program, Ahmad stated that VDP 2.0, which will run from June 1, 2023, to May 31, 2024, aims to process 2,000 applications and achieve a collection target of RM200 million. The VDP policy allows companies and taxpayers to voluntarily disclose and settle their outstanding taxes without incurring any penalties or interest charges.

In an effort to foster a positive, effective, and efficient tax culture, the Ministry of Finance, in collaboration with JKDM, has been implementing tax reforms that encourage taxpayers to voluntarily declare taxable sales of goods or services, including tourism tax.

VDP 2.0 builds upon the previous initiative that was active from January 1st to September 30th, 2022, which saw a considerable response with 16,880 applications and a total collection of RM700 million.

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