Budget 2024: Rahmah initiatives continues, further strengthened with RM200 million

SHAH ALAM - In effort to address the cost of living issues initiated by the late Datuk Seri Salahuddin Ayub, the Rahmah initiatives will continue and be further strengthened.

Finance Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim said the government has allocated RM200 million continue the implementation of the Payung Rahmah programme.

He said for 2024, the Social Welfare Department involves an allocation of over RM2.4 billion.

The Prime Minister said this will benefit more than 450,000 citizens, particularly low-income households, senior citizens, children, and persons with disabilities.

He added that it was also worth noting that the eligibility criteria have been expanded in line with the increase in the 2023 Food Poverty Line Income (PGK) to RM1,198 per month.

Anwar, who tabled the second Madani Budget 2024 today, said the government will also introduce the Basic Rahmah Assistance (Sara) by crediting RM100 per month into the MyKad of 200,000 Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) recipients for six months.

Meanwhile, he said MyFutureJobs will offer 50,000 job opportunities on a contract basis in the public sector and government-linked companies (GLC) starting January next year.

Anwar also announced that to encourage private sector employers to hire vulnerable groups, Social Security Organisation (Socso) will provide a special incentive of RM1,500 per month for six months to support the employment of over 3,300 job seekers with a budget of RM30 million.

Salahuddin was the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Minister prior to his sudden death on July 23 this year.

He died at the age of 61 at Sultanah Bahiyah Hospital in Alor Setar, Kedah. He had undergone a four-hour surgery to address a brain hemorrhage on July 22.