BANGI: The Cooperative Commission of Malaysia (SKM) has urged the government to provide opportunities for capable and potential cooperative bodies to participate in the activities of government-linked companies (GLCs) including having equity ownership to jointly redevelop the country’s economy.
Its executive chairman, Datuk Nordin Salleh, said as one of the biggest entities that has been long-established in the country with 14,668 cooperative organisations and over six million members, the cooperative movement would be able to bring comprehensive change or transformation in terms of its activities which have been focused on extending loans to its members.
“We (SKM) hope the government can consider this opportunity for cooperative bodies as now is the time to revive the economic situation (Malay) which is still left behind, besides helping the government to resolve the people’s economic difficulties especially among the Bumiputera.
“This is not a race problem, but a national problem as we want an equitable economic development,“ he told the media at SKM’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) presentation ceremony here, Friday.
With total assets of about RM100 billion, Nordin believes that cooperatives are also able to assume the role as “champions” in the country’s economic transformation agenda and reflects the aspirations of the Shared Prosperity Vision 2030 to reduce the economic disparities in the society, hence, can drive the country’s economic growth.
At the event, SKM, represented by Nordin, presented donations of RM5,000 each to five non-governmental organisations (NGOs), namely Rumah Tunas Harapan Tengku Ampuan Rahimah Kuala Selangor, Maahad Tahfiz As-Salihin, Maahad Integrasi Tahfizul Quran An Nasr, Pusat Jagaan Kanak-kanak Yatim/Miskin Rukaiyah, and the Kampung Baru Malay Agricultural Settlement Administration Board. -Bernama
