MIRI: The state government is encouraging local companies and cooperative organisations to grab opportunities available in the oil and gas (O&G) industry.
Deputy Minister for Youth, Sport and Entrepreneur Development II (Entrepreneur Development) Dr Ripin Lamat said, local companies including cooperatives in Miri should take advantage of the proximity of oil and gas industry located in this division.
Ripin who is also Lambir assemblyman disclosed this today at the closing of a programme called ‘Turun Padang Ke Arah Memasyarakatkan Koperasi (MasKop) by the Cooperative Institute of Malaysia (CIM).
He believed cooperatives in Sarawak perhaps could emulate the success story of Koperasi Pengerang Jaya Johor Berhad (KOPEJA) in exploring downstream and upstream of oil and gas industry.
“The state government via various agencies would provide training, and guidance to ensure our cooperative members obtain the knowledge,” he pointed out.
Ripin added, with the establishment of CIM’s Miri branch at Miri Times Square early this year, members of cooperatives in the Northern Region should not feel hesitate to approach them and get the latest information on any opportunities available.
More than 200 cooperatives members from the Northern Region attended at the programme held at a leading hotel here.
In Sarawak, there are 1,109 cooperatives available with 297,332 members.
Out of that figure, 15 are major cooperative organisations and some of these are involved in providing loans, agriculture, housing and customer services.
Also present was CIM’s deputy director Mohd Zaib Mat Yunus.
