KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia will host the ASEAN Cooperative Dialogue in April next year as part of its ASEAN Chairmanship 2025, said Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick.
He said the forum aligns with the recognition given by the United Nations, which has designated 2025 as the International Year of Cooperatives for the second time.
“The ASEAN Cooperative Dialogue 2025 will be led by the Angkatan Koperasi Kebangsaan Malaysia Berhad (Angkasa) and fully supported by the Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry.
“In conjunction with the celebration of the International Year of Cooperatives, various activities and programmes will be held next year, in line with Malaysia’s chairmanship of ASEAN and under the leadership of Datuk Seri Dr Abdul Fattah Abdullah, president of Angkasa and ASEAN Cooperative Organisation.”
He said this at a press conference after officiating the launch of the National-Level International Year of Cooperatives 2025 (IYC2025) at Angkasa Auditorium today.
The first International Year of Cooperatives was declared in 2012 under the theme “Cooperative Enterprises Build a Better World” to highlight the role of cooperatives in developing the global economy, values and benefits, thereby improving the quality of life worldwide.
Meanwhile, Abdul Fattah said that Angkasa also plans to organise various cooperative-related programmes, including the Strengthening Cooperative Convention in conjunction with Angkasa annual general meeting, Coop Treasure Hunt 2025, National Cooperative Month, National Cooperative Day and Youth for Cooperative Futures Seminar next year.
“Angkasa, as the body leading cooperatives, is seizing the opportunity to showcase programmes and activities that highlight the contributions of cooperatives to national development.
“Angkasa has also submitted resolutions to the government to raise cooperative issues at the leadership level within ASEAN countries. Some ASEAN countries view the cooperative sector as marginal or as a small sector, whereas cooperatives encompass various sectors including economy, tourism, agriculture and more,“ he said.
He expressed hope that the cooperative agenda to be raised at ASEAN 2025 would be accepted by the leadership of ASEAN countries as a key focus for social and economic development in the region.
The hosting of IYC2025 will serve as an excellent platform for Malaysia to strengthen and promote its cooperative sector internationally, in line with the country’s 16,009 cooperatives, a membership of 7.2 million and total cooperative revenue of RM33.1 billion.
