PM wants cooperatives to resume ‘Jihad against Middlemen’

KUALA LUMPUR (July 2): Prime Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob wants the entire cooperative movement through Angkatan Koperasi Kebangsaan Malaysia Bhd (Angkasa) to keep up the "jihad" (struggle) against middlemen to empower the national food security agenda.

Ismail Sabri said he sees cooperatives with many members having the role apart from being involved in retail, wholesale and so on.

According to him, there is a need to resurrect the 'jihad' as the price and supply of goods are currently determined by middlemen.

"Therefore, the time has come for the entire cooperative movement through Angkasa to revive the movement which I introduced, and championed when I was the Minister of Agriculture (Agriculture and Agro-based Industries) which is the ‘Jihad against Middlemen'.

"Hope the matter would resume and Angkasa can play a more significant role in empowering the national food security agenda," he said when speaking at the opening of the 2022 National Cooperative Month celebration here on Saturday (July 2).

Also present were Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Tan Sri Noh Omar and Federal Territories Minister Datuk Seri Dr Shahidan Kassim.