Kota belud: The rural community should use the cooperatives movement to drive economic development through tourism and agriculture sectors, Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick said. He explained that cooperatives were the best platform for rural entrepreneurship and would enable local communities to compete with major companies through government support and aid.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, there are more than 16,000 cooperatives in the country, including almost 2,000 in Sabah, with six of them in the Cooperatives Premier League. This demonstrates that cooperatives in Sabah can compete if given adequate chances and support, he said in a statement after officiating Koperasi Pelancongan Tagal Kampung Lingkubang Kota Belud Berhad’s Family Day here today.

He shared that he had visited the cooperative and approved RM100,000 for various development projects after his appointment as minister, including RM80,000 for upgrading a bridge, building a concrete pedestrian path, and an arch, while RM20,000 was used for an e-commerce site to promote the cooperative’s products.

Ewon praised Koperasi Pelancongan Tagal Kampung Lingkubang Kota Belud Berhad’s efforts in highlighting riverside recreational activities and tagal-based fish conservation. He expressed pride in the villagers’ initiatives in mobilizing rural entrepreneurship and developing economic potential through cooperatives, hoping this cooperative continues to progress and inspire others.

He added that his ministry, through the Cooperatives Commission of Malaysia, has introduced the Jejak Koperasi programme to strengthen the tourism sector cooperatives in conjunction with Visit Malaysia 2026. In Kadamaian, the focus is on tourism and agriculture sectors to establish it as a major tourism destination besides Ranau. Part of Mount Kinabalu is in Kadamaian, and tourists climbing the mountain are encouraged to stop by.