KLANG, 15 Feb 2018:
Cooperatives should be rebranded to increase public confidence in the goods and services offered, says Rural and Regional Development Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
He said the rebranding is important as there’s public stigma that goods and services at cooperatives had lower quality – when compared to other retail stores.
“Many do not know that the famous dairy company Dutch Lady is owned by a farmer cooperative in the Netherlands, (and the) same goes for other international products manufactured here.
“The ownership of the cooperatives will not change, only the business brand will become a new identity to the cooperatives. I am just proposing it but is up to the Malaysian Cooperative Commission to make the decision.”
On the Orang Asli cooperatives, Ismail Sabri suggested they venture into rural tourism, particularly in the homestay business – which could generate high returns with just a small capital.
Besides that, he said the Orang Asli Development Department had also set a target of 20 Orang Asli cooperatives to own assets amounting to RM20 million by 2020.
– Bernama