Hajiji performing the launching gimmick during the Sentuhan Kasih Rakyat (SYUKUR) Outreach Programme for the Tuaran district at Dewan Sri Sulaman.
TUARAN: The State Government is continuing the Sentuhan Kasih Rakyat (SYUKUR) Programme this year with an allocation of RM339.16 million as one of the key instruments under Sabah’s poverty eradication agenda, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Haji Hajiji Haji Noor.
He said the SYUKUR assistance scheme has been restructured this year to provide RM200 per month as a complementary aid to Federal Government initiatives, namely the Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) and Sumbangan Asas Rahmah (SARA), as well as other available financial assistance programmes.
“The restructuring of the SYUKUR programme has enabled the number of recipients to be expanded from 100,000 last year to 140,000 this year, ensuring that more Sabahans benefit from this government assistance,” he said when launching the Sentuhan Kasih Rakyat (SYUKUR) Outreach Programme for the Tuaran district at Dewan Sri Sulaman here today.
Hajiji said SYUKUR payments are made in phases, with each phase disbursed in a lump sum covering a three-month period, totalling RM600. Payments are credited directly into recipients’ bank accounts, while cash payments are also provided to eligible recipients.
He said payments under the programme commenced on March 11, 2026, for Phase 1 recipients, while online payments for Phase 2 began being credited into recipients’ accounts on May 23, 2026.
“I am pleased to announce that the first cash distribution for SYUKUR Phase 2 will commence from June 18, 2026 (Thursday) until June 23, 2026 (Tuesday) for eligible recipients throughout Sabah, involving a total of 17,848 recipients.
“This payment involves a lump-sum assistance of RM600 covering the period from April to June 2026.
“I hope this assistance will be utilised wisely to meet essential family needs, support children’s education and help ease the burden of increasingly challenging daily living expenses,” he said.
Meanwhile, Hajiji said outreach programmes such as this are important as they provide the Government with the opportunity to engage directly with the people, understand the challenges they face, and ensure that all forms of assistance and government initiatives reach those who need them most.
