STR Stimulates Positive Impact For Kuching Petty Traders

KUCHING, Jan 20 (Bernama) -- The implementation of the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) programme by the government continues to produce a positive impact, not only for the aid recipients, but has also helped petty food traders to boost their sales revenue.

A Bernama survey around several residential areas and food stalls here found that most traders experienced an increase in the number of customers and Noraini Othman, 49, a Sarawak Laksa stall operator in Samariang here said her daily sales rose by almost 20 per cent each time the STR assistances were disbursed.

“Usually customers just buy or eat just the basic dishes at the shop, but now (when STR assistances are disbursed), some can afford to order additional side dishes and drinks. This really helps small traders like us to garner more sales,” she said.

Mixed rice seller, Hajijah Latip, 63, who is a STR recipient and trader at Matang here said the assistance had a clear spillover effect on her business.

“When they have extra money to spend, they will not be too particular about spending more to dine. Sales is brisk and we are truly grateful for the sustenance provided by the government,” she said, adding that the aid also served as a capital injection for her food stall which has been operating for the past six years.

Another STR recipient, Pangeran Saleh Sulaiman, 68, said the cash assistance had eased the burden of the cost of living and enabled him to manage his family’s expenses more effectively.

He also welcomed the distribution of the aid, which according to him had helped to stimulate the small enterprise ecosystem in local areas, as shared by his fellow petty traders via social media. 

“Through our WhatsApp group, our traders had shared their hopes for STR to be channelled quickly so that they could have some capital to buy fresh ingredients for their businesses,” said Pangeran Saleh, who owns several chicken rice stalls around Bandar Baru Samariang, here.

The MADANI Government today began disbursing payments for STR Phase 1 of 2026, involving five million recipients, comprising 3.7 million households and 1.3 million senior citizens without spouses, with payment rates ranging from RM100 to RM500 according to individual eligibility.

-- BERNAMA