MELAKA: Last year, only about 10 per cent, or 657 mosques out of more than 6,000 institutions nationwide, established mosque parish cooperatives.
Malaysian Cooperative Societies Commission (SKM), chief executive officer Rusli Jaafar, attributed the low establishment rate to several constraints, including the differing jurisdictions of Islamic religious departments, state Islamic religious councils and local customs.
“This inconsistency in rules and procedures across agencies makes it challenging to implement mosque parish cooperatives uniformly across states.
“Despite this, SKM is committed to assisting mosque institutions that have not yet established cooperatives, particularly with the registration process,” Rusli told reporters after the launch of the state-level 2024 National Cooperative Day by Chief Minister Datuk Seri Ab Rauf Yusoh.
In Melaka, 60 out of 189 mosques have established parish cooperatives, making it the leading state in promoting these initiatives with state government support.
He said mosques with cooperatives will be offered funding and assistance for infrastructure and working capital to support their economic activities.
This initiative aims to expand wholesale and retail networks, allowing mosques to serve as distribution centres or outlets for essential and halal products.
“This will make it easier for mosque members to access necessities at more affordable prices,” Rusli said, adding that SKM will also review the performance metrics for mosque parish cooperatives to enhance support and establishment efforts nationwide.
In addition, SKM plans to hold several major events in Melaka, including the 2024 Cooperative Partner Appreciation Night in September, which will honour 100 top cooperatives and the National Mosque Cooperative Convention in October or November.
Melaka was chosen for these events due to its appeal as a tourism hub.
