Establishing Pacos Cooperative to help community, Ewon supports its proposal

31 December 2022

By Wartawan Nabalu News

PENAMPANG: Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick welcomes the proposal to establish a Pacos cooperative to help improve the community's economy, especially the indigenous people.

He said, although Pacos is more about fighting for basic human rights, it would not be wrong if the non-governmental organisation expands its role in the economic field.

"It is time for Pacos to expand its economic role to help increase community income.

"I will ask officers of the Malaysian Cooperative Commission (SKM) to give a briefing to Pacos on the establishment of cooperatives and also briefings from several other ministry agencies," he said when speaking at the Dialogue Programme with PACOS, the Malaysian Advanced Entrepreneurs' Association (PUMM) and the Hawkers and Petty Traders’ Association.

Ewon, who is also Penampang MP, hopes that through the establishment of the cooperative, it will help improve the socio-economics of rural communities.

He said the Ministry of Entrepreneurship and Cooperative Development (KUSKOP) will provide an allocation of RM20 million next year specifically for community-based enterprises.

"I have said before that, without reducing the existing focus in the ministry, I want to give additional focus to Sabah and Sarawak as well as the indigenous villages in the peninsula in the development of entrepreneurs and cooperatives," he said.

Ewon also hoped that the Penampang Entrepreneurship Development Plan can be completed within the first three months of next year to enable it to be used as a ministry policy and programme.

"I have requested the District Office, the Penampang Parliamentary Office and the Kadazandusun Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) to complete this development plan within three months.

"This development plan is my vision to develop Penampang in the field of digital-based entrepreneurship, agro-tourism based enterprises, social enterprises and small hawker enterprises in the guest houses," he said.

He also said that KUSKOP also proposed the establishment of a Development Council for Entrepreneurs, Cooperatives, Hawkers and Petty Traders in every district across the country starting next year.

"This council will be chaired by the District Officer to manage development and resolve issues related to entrepreneurs, cooperatives, hawkers, and petty traders at the grassroots level more effectively.

"Previously, there was a council for the development of entrepreneurs and cooperatives at the Parliament level, but the council needs to be empowered," he said.

KUSKOP has 10 agencies that each has a role to help entrepreneurs, namely TEKUN Nasional, SKM, Institut Koperasi Malaysia, SME Corp Malaysia, Bank Rakyat, SME Bank, UDA Holdings Berhad, Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM), the National Institute of Entrepreneurship and the National Corporation Berhad (Pernas).