Approximately 100,000 poor and hardcore poor persons in Sabah will receive RM300 in monthly cash aid until the end of the year under the Sentuhan Kasih Rakyat 2025 (SYUKUR) programme.

Chief Minister Datuk Seri Hajiji Noor said the initiative aims to ease the financial burden of low-income families and provide immediate relief.

“We are committed to ensuring that aid reaches those who need it most. This programme will help alleviate the struggles of Sabahans living in poverty while we continue working on long-term solutions,” he said in Kota Kinabalu on Tuesday. 

The aid is targeted at household heads (KIR) registered in the e-Kasih system as of December 31, 2024. 

Payments will be credited in phases every three months, with RM900 disbursed per cycle.

Sabah has seen a 76.1% drop in extreme poverty cases in the past nine months, following a comprehensive screening process by the SMJ Secretariat. 

14,146 households classified as poor are those who have moved out of the extreme (hardcore) poverty category but still earn between RM1,218 and RM2,742 per month.

The remaining 5,379 households are still classified as extreme poor (hardcore poor) as of June 30, 2024.

The state government is pushing for further reductions, with Hajiji reaffirming its commitment to eradicating poverty in Sabah. 

“We have made significant progress, but we are not stopping here. There is still much to be done to ensure every Sabahan has a fair chance at a better life,” he said.

Sabah remains the state with the highest poverty rate in Malaysia, with rural and interior districts among the hardest hit.

For the official reimbursement ceremony, Hajiji is set to launch the SYUKUR programme on February 19 at the Sabah Bajausama Cultural Centre in Tuaran. – February 18, 2025