KOTA BELUD : Minister of Entrepreneurial Development and Cooperatives, Datuk Ewon Benedick asserts that fostering a cooperative culture can catalyze rural entrepreneurial advancement.
He emphasised that his ministry, working through the Malaysian Cooperative Commission (SKM) and Malaysian Cooperative Institute (IKMa), continues to intensify efforts in launching cooperative awareness initiatives across the nation, particularly in remote and rural communities.
“I am convinced that entrepreneurial culture among our communities can be strengthened through cooperative movements. This is precisely why we have organized special programs today to ensure broader community participation.
“We are determined to ensure that Tengkurus Mukim (rural areas) does not miss out on the valuable benefits our ministry provides through our agencies,” he said here on Wednesday.
Ewon said that through implementing community cooperative cultivation programs throughout the year, the number of registered cooperatives nationwide continues to expand.
“Last year, we executed this program in numerous locations across the country, and the results were remarkable – we achieved the largest cooperative registration in history with 1,001 new cooperatives registered last year.
“I believe this significant achievement reflects the dedicated efforts of our ministry and our specialized agencies, particularly SKM and IKMA, which have conducted engagement sessions and community outreach initiatives to inspire citizens to establish cooperatives,” Ewon added.
