Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR): Who's Eligible, and the Real Way to Apply or Check

Many people know the name “STR” from the news, or from a neighbour talking about a payment landing in their bank account. Fewer know that their old account may no longer be valid, or that the form they need to fill in isn’t an ordinary tax form — even though it’s administered by the very same agency that handles your income tax.

What STR Actually Is

Sumbangan Tunai Rahmah (STR) is a Federal Government cash assistance programme targeted at low- and middle-income groups who genuinely qualify for, and need, help facing the cost-of-living squeeze. It is allocated through the annual Budget and is not a loan or savings scheme — it is an assistance payment that does not need to be repaid.

It’s important to draw a distinction here: STR is not administered by the Department of Social Welfare or by a bank, but by the Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (LHDNM, commonly abbreviated HASiL) — the same body that handles individual income tax — acting on behalf of the Ministry of Finance (MOF). The STR Secretariat itself is based at the National Budget Division, Ministry of Finance, Putrajaya, although the day-to-day operation of applications and payments is carried out through HASiL’s systems.

Who Is Targeted

The official Manfaat MOF portal broadly outlines the target groups into three wide categories:

Category	General description
Household	Married couples or single parents with dependent children
Senior citizen without a spouse	Individuals aged 60 and above without a registered spouse
Single	Adults aged 21–59 (or persons with disabilities (OKU) aged 19 and above), who are not full-time students at an Institution of Higher Learning (IPT)

Each category has its own monthly income limit, set by the Ministry of Finance for each Budget cycle — this figure can be revised from time to time, so the most reliable way to find out the current income limit is to check directly on the Manfaat MOF portal or log in to your own MySTR account, rather than relying on old figures circulating on social media.

The actual payment amount for each category is deliberately not stated here. The official amount changes with each Budget cycle and depends on household composition (number of children, senior citizen status, and so on) — the exact figure for your case will only appear after you log in to your own MySTR account or check the latest official announcement on the HASiL portal.

How to Apply or Update

The STR application period is open all year round, starting 13 October 2025 for the current cycle, according to the official portal. There are two routes:

1. Online — register or log in to a MySTR account at bantuantunai.hasil.gov.my. All applicants — including previous STR recipients — are required to register a new MySTR account to ensure they receive all benefits under the current programme.
2. In writing — complete Form BK-01 (application/update) and, if necessary, Form BK-04 (submission of supporting documents), then submit them to the nearest HASiL office.

One thing that’s easy to overlook: an account that has not been updated for three consecutive years needs to be updated again before it qualifies for assistance in the current cycle. According to HASiL’s official FAQ, this requirement does not apply to the senior citizen category and certain rural categories — so don’t assume your old account is automatically invalid without checking first.

How to Check Status and Payment

Application status, eligibility, and payment schedule are checked by logging in to your MySTR account using your MyKad number and password, or the email registered on the STR Application Form. For Phase 1 applicants who were rejected, there is a separate appeal period announced officially on the portal — always refer to the latest date on the portal rather than dates circulated on third-party sites.

Payment methods, according to the official portal:

• Direct credit to the bank account of the applicant or a registered spouse.
• Cash withdrawal at a Bank Simpanan Nasional (BSN) branch for recipients who do not have their own bank account.

If you have questions that the portal doesn’t answer, the official channels listed are the BKK hotline at 1-800-88-2747 (9.00am – 5.00pm), the MOF line at 03-8882 4565 / 03-8882 4566, or the email str@treasury.gov.my.

Common Mistakes

• Trusting third-party “STR checker” websites for personal data. Only bantuantunai.hasil.gov.my and your own MySTR account display your actual application status; unofficial sites can only display general information such as phase dates that have already been publicly announced.
• Assuming an old STR account is automatically valid forever. If it is not updated for three consecutive years, eligibility may be affected — except for exempted categories.
• Confusing STR with SARA (Sumbangan Asas Rahmah). The two are separate programmes under the same Budget; SARA provides basic assistance on a cashless basis through a MyKad account, while STR is a cash/bank-credit payment.
• Sharing assistance amount figures circulating on social media as final fact. The actual amount differs by category and household composition — confirm on the official portal or your own MySTR account.

What’s Next

To understand the agency that administers STR, and its broader tax jurisdiction, see Inland Revenue Board of Malaysia (LHDN). If you want to understand how your taxable income is calculated — which also determines the eligibility threshold for some government assistance — refer to individual income tax. And because an STR application requires identity verification, also see how MyKad functions as the primary identification document in matters like this.