Cooperatives an important medium for proactive, competitive society – CM
KOTA KINABALU: Empowered cooperatives can be an important medium to form a proactive and competitive society, said Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Shafie Apdal.
Shafie said efforts to enable cooperative movements are essential to support socio-economic growth and ensure equitable and fair distribution of economics through strategic planning.
“In the face of the increasingly challenging economic environment at present, cooperative movements can certainly be one of the key mediums to form a more proactive and competitive society in everyday life,” said Shafie, whose speech was delivered by his political secretary, Jo-Anna Sue Henley Rampas, at the Koperasi Pembangunan Desa Saradan Tenghilan Berhad Charity Dinner at Promenade Hotel here on Saturday.
“I am confident with the cooperation of all cooperative members, cooperatives will become stronger, solid and competitive, thereby contributing more to the socio-economic development of the people in the state.
“In order to achieve the goal of cooperating, the perception of some members of society that the cooperative is only seen as a personal financing activity or credit, should be changed. On the contrary, society needs to be given a real and widespread exposure that cooperatives play a very important role in the socioeconomic development of society through business and employment opportunities,” he added.
Shafie said since business benefits its members, efforts to nurture operational consciousness need to be enhanced in order to have more cooperative members and more potential cooperative members in creating and enhancing high-impact economic activities in the cooperative.
He added that equally as important is for members to work together and cooperate in implementing programs related to the progress and sustainability of the cooperative.
The charity dinner was organized to collect funds not only for the cooperative's welfare fund but also to increase the Rumah Bakti Harapan Kota Kinabalu fund.