PETALING JAYA: As of December last year, 16,284 cooperatives have been registered in Malaysia, says the Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Ministry.
Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick said this includes approximately 7.2 million members nationwide, representing 21% of Malaysia’s population.
The cooperatives sector's shares and subscriptions total RM18.3bil, with assets worth RM173.3bil, and an annual turnover of RM68.1bil.
“These figures are a testament to the sector’s potential and its role as a major economic driver,” he said at the Asean Cooperative Dialogue (ACD 2025) on Tuesday (May 13).
Ewon also noted that Malaysia’s cooperative movement began in 1922 with the Co-operative Societies Enactment 1922.
“The sector has expanded steadily over the years and continues its major role in driving socio-economic development for the country,” he said, noting the sector began with only 11 cooperatives.
He said cooperatives play an important role in economic empowerment within the Asean region, which is home to over 650 million people.
“It provides employment, promotes entrepreneurship, and contributes significantly to the gross domestic product across various member states,” he said.
Separately, National Cooperative Movement of Malaysia (Angkasa) president Datuk Seri Dr Abdul Fattah Abdullah called for greater recognition of cooperatives.
“We must work together to ensure that cooperatives are treated as a core pillar of Asean’s economic development,” he said.
Abdul Fattah, also the Asean Cooperative Organisation (ACO) president, said support is needed from all Asean governments, apex cooperative bodies, and policymakers to elevate ACO to an accredited Asean entity.
He urged the establishment of an Asean Cooperative Ministerial Meeting (ACMM) to provide cooperatives with an official platform, similar to what Small Medium Enterprises already have.
“The time for discussion is over. The time for action is now,” he said.
