Cooperative movement achieved earnings of RM64 billion in 2023 - Ewon

3 April 2024

By Nabalu News Reporter

KUALA LUMPUR: Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (MEDC) Datuk Ewon Benedick said that the cooperative movement in the country successfully achieved earnings of RM64.56 billion in 2023.

He said the remarkable achievement also reached the target earlier than the Malaysian Cooperative Policy (DaKom2030) set for 2025 of RM60 billion.

"The cooperative movement has shown a very impressive performance with an overall revenue increase of 42 percent, amounting to RM64.56 billion in 2023 compared to RM45.5 billion in 2022."

"In essence, the target of DaKom2030 aiming for a cooperative revenue of RM60 billion by 2025 has been achieved two years ahead of schedule, and the next target for 2030 is RM73 billion.

"I believe that this achievement is the result of diligent efforts and hard work of all parties, including the top management and staff of the Malaysian Cooperative Commission (SKM), in planning various cooperative development programs and overseeing cooperatives nationwide," he said.

He said this while speaking at the SKM Iftar Ceremony at the SKM Headquarters last night.

Ewon said that in addition to the success of increasing revenue, SKM also successfully registered 1,001 new cooperatives throughout the past year, surpassing the average registration from the previous year.

He said that to ensure that the human resource capacity can support its role and function, SKM has obtained approval from the Public Service Department to fill 100 contract-based positions according to existing warrants at various levels of positions.

"Of course, with the approval of these positions, it will further strengthen the role of SKM as a supervisory and cooperative development body."

"I hope the momentum and performance of SKM can be maintained in organizing programs at the national level all the way to the grassroots," he said.

At the event, Ewon also presented zakat wakalah from SKM to five care centers and orphanages, namely Kasih Murni Care Center, Nur Iman Care Center, Orphanage and Asnaf Welfare Organisation Teratak Ummi, Shifa Orphanage (Teratak Shifa Welfare Association Kuala Lumpur and Selangor), and Raudhatul Alfaeez Home.

Also present were Deputy Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives (MEDC) Dato' Ramanan Ramakrishnan, Deputy Chief Secretary (Entrepreneurship Development) MEDC, Datuk Haji Zamri Salleh, Deputy Chief Secretary (Policy and Monitoring) MEDAC Noor Afifah Abdul Razak, and Chief Executive Officer of SKM Rusli Jaafar.