KUCHING: A total of 474 new members have registered with Mosque Parish Co-operative from January to March this year.
Malaysian Cooperative Commission (SKM) executive chairman Zazali Haron said it showed an increase compared to the previous year.
“The increase is also in line with the cooperative’s target to achieve 10 per cent membership nationwide in the establishment of the cooperative.
“The effort is implemented through SKM and the Islamic Religious Department at the state level to encourage the establishment of council chairmen in mosque parishes, in addition to strengthening the role of mosques,” he said.
Zazali said this when met by reporters after completing the South Zone Mosque Parish Cooperative promotion and strengthening programme at the Raia Hotel and Convention Centre, here, yesterday.
The mosque parish co-operatives programme is an entity mosque-based business owned by members of the parish as well as serves to increase income and profits to be returned to members who contribute in the form of share capital and subscribe with the cooperatives it accompanies.
“This is to encourage the establishment of co-operatives among mosque committees and parishes as a medium for the socio-economic development of the ummah.
“It can also be a platform for caliber entrepreneurs among the members besides introducing new products which has the status of halal toyyiban professionally.
“The co-operative members are also encouraged to carry out community-based activities such as senior child care centers, tuition centers, grocery stores, agriculture and agro-based industries as well as high-impact services to the community,” he added.
The co-operatives are also given opportunities in terms of grant aid and funding to increase viability, strength and business productivity.
“SKM offers various types of assistance in the Perlindungan Rakyat dan Pemulihan Ekonomi (PEMULIH) package such as Program Koperasi Prihatin (KPR), Program Jualan Koperasi Prihatin Rakyat (JKPR), Program Transformasi Ekonomi Gerakan Koperasi (TRANSFER), Program Dagang Produk/ Perkhidmatan Atas Talian (e- GET) as well as Tabung Modal Pusingan Suruhanjaya Koperasi Malaysia (TMPSKM)” he stated.
Zazali alscrops while Masjid Al-Mustaqqim Bintulu received RM70,000 under the same initiative to build shop co-operatives.
Tabung Baitumal Sarawak and Islamic Council Sarawak also provided RM10,000 contribution assistance to the Asnaf group in Kuching and Samarahano distributed to Mosque Parish Masjid Bandar Sri Aman amounting RM50,000 under the TRANSFER initiative to buy hydroponic sets for vegetable .
