Mca Urges Testing Fixes Ahead Of Major Govt Aid Rollout

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The government should have ensured greater system readiness, including conducting trial runs and troubleshooting, before officially launching the Rahmah Necessities Aid (Sara) programme, said an MCA leader.
MCA National Policy and People’s Livelihood Research Advisory Committee chairperson Monna Ong acknowledged the authorities’ prompt efforts to address the situation, however, she pointed out that such incidents could have been prevented with proper planning.
“While it is appreciated that the authorities responded swiftly and are working to resolve the situation, it must be emphasised that such a large-scale aid rollout should have been preceded by intensive trial runs and thorough troubleshooting.
“A nationwide initiative involving millions of beneficiaries demands meticulous system readiness to prevent the kind of disappointment experienced in the first two days of the rollout,” she said in a statement.
Yesterday, the Finance Ministry announced that the payment terminal system for the Sara aid distribution, which operated through the MyKasih network, was experiencing significant slowdowns at various locations due to a surge in transactions.
As of yesterday evening, over 850,000 Malaysians have reportedly spent more than RM50 million on the first day of the Sara one-off aid rollout.
Be considerate
Ong also highlighted that several shoppers, dissatisfied after waiting for hours in long queues, had eventually abandoned their trolleys in-store, leading to employees spending almost five hours restocking the shelves.
“While frustrations are understandable, returning items to their proper places would have been a more considerate gesture toward retail staff.
“The technical glitches and abandoned trolleys highlight the importance of strengthening the digital infrastructure and contingency planning behind government cashless assistance programmes.
“It also serves as a timely reminder that while technology enables efficiency, it must be backed by human empathy and thoughtful planning,” Ong added.
She also echoed the views of Mydin Hypermarket managing director Ameer Ali Mydin, who urged those not in immediate need of the aid to defer its use.
This, he said, would help prioritise lower-income households in accessing essential items without placing additional strain on the system.
Valid till Dec 31
The Finance Ministry had also reminded that the RM100 Sara one-off aid remains valid until Dec 31 and can be used at more than 7,300 registered retail outlets nationwide.
According to the ministry, the number of transactions received these past few days had been much higher than usual, as Sara’s otherwise monthly rollout had only handled an average of about 600,000 transactions daily.
The ministry apologised for the inconveniences caused and assured that it would continue to monitor the initiative closely, including undertaking system maintenance, to ensure a more seamless implementation.
Ong also applauded the efforts of individuals who chose to donate their aid credit and expressed hopes that future implementation would be smoother.
“As the system stabilises, our committee hopes both public agencies and private partners will review lessons learned and enhance future implementations, with transparency, preparedness, whilst prioritising the welfare of the rakyat always at the core,” she added.
Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim announced the RM100 Sara one-off aid last month - the amount of which is credited into the MyKad of over 22 million Malaysians aged 18 and above. - Mkini

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