KLANG: Entrepreneur and Cooperative Development Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong wants the Malaysian Cooperative Entrepreneurship University (UKKM) to be an institution par excellence that meets the demands of the current times.
Sim said he wanted the university to be the best business school in Malaysia as well as an “AI-driven business school” that produces a new generation of entrepreneurs, cooperative leaders and economic drivers of the future.
He said this in his speech at UKKM’s Chancellor Proclamation Ceremony and second UKKM Convocation where he was proclaimed as the Chancellor of the institution.
Sim took over the role at the event, held at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur, following his predecessor Datuk Ewon Benedick’s tenure.
The minister also presented certificates to 26 graduates who received diplomas and degrees involving five academic programs, namely the Diploma in Cooperative Management, Diploma in Cooperative Entrepreneurship, Master in Business Administration (Cooperative Management), Master in Business Administration (Corporate Leadership) and Master in Business Administration.
“UKKM is still young, but this young age is actually our strength. We were established in the era of the AI revolution. Therefore, we have the opportunity to build a university that is truly relevant to the new world,” Sim said.
According to Sim, UKKM has to be based on the spirit of the cooperative movement championed by the late Royal Professor Ungku Aziz which focused on developing the people’s economy, safeguarding their welfare and building their unity.
He outlined an “ABCD” approach as a guideline for the university’s development and said “A” referred to the involvement of adjunct professors from among industry players and cooperative figures.
“B is the construction of a smart campus that emphasises technology investments, especially AI and digitalisation, so that UKKM becomes a smart and competitive campus,’’ Sim said.
He added that “C” meant fast (cepat), including the need to re-evaluate the duration of studies to be more flexible and relevant to the rapid changes in the world of work and technology. “D” is the real world, where UKKM’s learning culture must be based on industry experience and current market realities.
Sim also shared that as of December 2025, the cooperative movement in Malaysia recorded a turnover of almost RM82bil, proving that the cooperative and entrepreneurship sector has great potential for career development and the country’s economy.
He also announced that Yayasan Bank Rakyat has provided scholarships worth more than RM4mil for a period of three years for UKKM students.
“The Cooperative Education Trust Fund also sponsored more than RM516,000, while the Sabah Public Service Department (JPANS) contributed RM158,000. Overall, the total number of scholarships that UKKM can offer so far has approached RM5mil,’’ Sim said, adding that about 50 students were currently enjoying the benefits of the scholarships.
