Malaysia’s RM100 cash handout sparks frenzy after disbursement, but may deliver boost to economy

[KUALA LUMPUR] The Malaysian government’s one-off cash handout of RM100 (S$30.50) – that is being disbursed to each citizen aged 18 and above, starting last Sunday (Aug 31) – ended up sparking a nationwide system failure and long queues.

But even amid the frenzy, economists said that the scheme could potentially inject as much as RM2 billion into the economy and deliver a boost to fourth-quarter gross domestic product.

The money – given out as part of Malaysia’s National Day celebrations and framed as a gesture of economic inclusivity – was distributed via the MyKasih welfare platform with payments made through recipients’ MyKad identity cards. Citizens have until Dec 31 to spend the money.