KUHING: The total number of cooperatives registered in Sarawak as of July this year stood at 1,069.
Outgoing director of Malaysian Cooperatives Commission (MCC) Sarawak region Basuini Ali (pic) disclosed that as of December last year, there were 1,054 cooperatives in the state.
“The figure is increasing. There are still more than 40 applications that are being processed,” he told reporters after handing over his duty to the new director at the MCC Sarawak office at Sultan Iskandar Building yesterday.
Basuini said there were 269,000 cooperative members last year.
“For December last year, the total cooperative shares and fees received were RM186 million,” he said.
The cooperatives had assets of RM582 million and a total turnover of RM248 million.
Basuini added that MCC Sarawak was strengthening the cooperative movement in line with the country’s National Entrepreneurship Policy 2030.
“The cooperative movement has been recognised by the government as a medium and effort to assist the people in reducing their cost of living and promoting the cooperative as an entrepreneurial institute,” he said.
He said MCC Sarawak constantly promoted and encouraged its members to use the cooperatives as platforms to sell their products and generate some income.
“At the school level, we have introduced the Young Entrepreneur Strive for Success (Yes) programme, whereby the schools will be tasked to produce innovative products that can be commercialised.
“Through the cooperatives in schools, we want to educate the young ones on entrepreneurship skills. They don’t have to depend on a fixed income alone, but can earn extra by selling their products in future,” he said.
On adult and family oriented cooperatives, Basuini said the cooperatives also provided an opportunity to its members to start small businesses by providing them with micro loans.
“For village cooperatives, the members will be trained on how to become entrepreneurs. The local products they produce will be sold at every cooperative.
“This is one way the cooperative help and get the people involved in the business sector,” he added.
