Only 15.4% cooperatives in Malacca not viable

MALACCA: Only 15.4% of the total of 480 cooperatives in the state are not viable and fail to generate income, the state legislative assembly was told today.
State Communications and Cooperative Committee chairman Datuk Latiff Tamby Chik said among the causes of non-viability of the cooperatives were the lack of commitment by the board of directors, no current activities to generate income, lack of expertise and no support from members.
"To restore the cooperatives that have potential, various approaches have been made including restoring the management structure. For the cooperatives that have no potentials, the Cooperative Commission could dissolve them.
"The government also provides revolving capital financing scheme with a maximum of RM10 million to help the cooperatives to implement viable projects," he said.
He was replying to a question from Datuk Sulaiman Md Ali (BN-Lendu) on the number of cooperatives that were not viable and the government's measures to help them.
Latiff said last year, two cooperatives in the state received revolving capital of RM1.05 million.
Responding to a supplementary question from Datuk Amiruddin Yusof (BN-Ayer Limau), he said the Koperasi Bela Masyarakat (Kobemas) was a successful cooperative that should be emulated.
"Kobemas now has about 26,000 members. The Kobemas Hotel in Ayer Keroh and its investment in the plantation sector are among its successes," he said.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Idris Haron, when replying to a question from Lim Jak Wong (DAP-Bachang) on a landfill in Krubong here, said there were proposals to use it to mine gas and to turn it as a recreational area.
The 80ha Krubong landfill had been closed last year after reaching the maximum capacity and replaced by a landfill in Sungai Udang here. — Bernama