TENOM: Sabah’s cooperatives have generated over RM1 billion in assets, reflecting their growing role as key drivers of rural economic development, said Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick at the Jom@Coop Sabah 2025 programme here, Saturday.
He said the Ministry, through the Malaysian Cooperative Institute (IKMa), continues to strengthen entrepreneurship education and training to ensure rural cooperatives remain active, competitive and beneficial to local communities.
Ewon said the Jom@Coop Sabah 2025 programme, themed IKMa and Cooperatives: Active Cooperatives, Productive Communities, serves as a strategic platform to drive transformation and social well-being through community-based cooperatives.
He highlighted successful examples such as Koperasi Piisaan Tambunan Berhad, which introduced hydroponic farming, and Kopel Kinabatangan, which is internationally recognised for its sustainable tourism and conservation model.
Ewon added that as of December 2024, Sabah recorded 1,994 registered cooperatives with 375,559 members, RM273.37 million in share capital, RM774.45 million in turnover and total assets worth RM1.008 billion.
