Octogenarian Rides Pillion 20km To Buy Essentials After Receiving SARA Aid

By Mohd Fazil Ahmad and Rosnani Saad

PENDANG, Feb 8 (Bernama) -- An octogenarian who was overjoyed to receive the Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA) aid rode pillion on her daughter's motorcycle for nearly 20 kilometres to Pekan Pendang here to purchase essential goods.

Tijah Ali, 85, from Kampung Pokok Asam, said she had never received the monthly assistance before and did not expect to be among this year's SARA recipients, entitling her to RM100 a month.

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"I never got this aid before and felt disheartened seeing others receive RM100 every month to buy groceries.

"Today, when I checked my MyKad, I found out that I was eligible...I was so happy that I wanted to ride the motorcycle with my daughter to buy goods... it's been over 20 years since I last rode one," she told Bernama when met at a supermarket in Tanah Merah near here.

 She was seen purchasing essential items such as rice, cooking oil, flour, and sugar.

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Tijah said that since her husband's passing, she had no source of income and relied solely on her children, who work as rubber tappers, to support her daily expenses.

A similar plight was shared by Mohd Tarmizi Junus, 47, a lorry driver who admitted to facing challenges in raising his four children amid economic uncertainties.

"A lorry driver's wages are not much, and I have four school-going children. This SARA aid helps ease household expenses and allows me to save on grocery costs," he said.

Housewife Zuhaida Ishak, 41, said the financial assistance was not only useful for daily necessities but also served as seed capital for her small business.

"I set aside a portion as capital for making floral arrangements and traditional cakes. The profit is small, but it helps cover some expenses," said the recipient of both the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) and SARA aid.

The same sentiment was shared by Fatimah Ramizon, 38, a kuih trader who often struggled with cash flow when her capital ran low.

"As a kuih seller, there are times when I run out of funds, especially since the prices of basic ingredients have increased. With this aid, I can continue my business and supplement my family's income," she said, adding that she was also relieved that the Early Schooling Aid  (BAP) had eased the burden of preparing school items for her five children.

Yesterday, Finance Minister II Datuk Seri Amir Hamzah Azizan was reported as saying that over RM50 million had been spent by 700,000 SARA recipients under the poor and hardcore poor categories on purchasing essential goods as of Feb 5.

-- BERNAMA