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Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah Government has submitted constructive proposals for consideration in the drafting of the new Cooperative Bill during Saturday’s engagement session with the Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Ministry (Kuskop).

Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick said all recommendations from state administration members would be thoroughly reviewed and incorporated where appropriate in the legislative preparation process.

He said the new Bill will focus on liberalising legal aspects and strengthening the role of the Malaysian Cooperative Commission (SKM) as the main regulatory body.

Ewon said several studies conducted in 2023 found there were legal constraints that made it difficult for cooperatives to conduct business activities directly in various sectors.

“For example, the Tourism Industry Act 1992 and the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998 only allow companies registered under the Companies Act 2016 to operate in those sectors,” he said.

To date, Kuskop and SKM have conducted 10 engagement sessions involving 295 cooperatives and 47 government agencies, with the next session scheduled to be held in Penang.