KUCHING: A Kuching resident recently discovered that his RM100 SARA aid had been fraudulently used despite never losing his MyKad or making any related purchases, raising serious concerns about the security of the SARA payment system.
DAPSY Sarawak Secretary George Lam, who was approached by the affected individual for assistance, said he has helped the victim file an official inquiry with the Ministry of Finance to uncover the truth behind the suspicious transaction.
Lam urged the Ministry of Finance and the National Registration Department to strengthen the security measures within the SARA purchasing process to ensure that public welfare is protected.
He said that with the federal government’s ongoing move to rationalise subsidies and channel aid through the MyKad system, stronger safeguards are urgently needed to prevent abuse.
“The victim told me that when he tried to use his SARA aid for the first time, he was shocked to find only RM5 left. Since he never used the system before and did not lose his MyKad, this case is highly suspicious,” Lam said.
He noted that while there have been cases of SARA funds being misused after MyKad loss, this is the first time such misuse has occurred without any MyKad being misplaced.
“I understand that there were earlier cases involving lost MyKads, but in this instance, the MyKad was never lost. This points to possible data leakage or insufficient system security,” he said.
“Both the fuel subsidy and SARA assistance programmes depend on MyKad verification. The government should consider adding features like a six-digit PIN or two-step verification to secure these benefits,” he added.
Lam called on the federal government to treat such cases seriously and conduct a thorough investigation to prevent more Malaysians from falling victim to similar fraud.
By Connie Chieng