Kota Kinabalu: The Sabah government has put forward proposals for the new Cooperative Bill during a session with the Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Ministry (KUSKOP). Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Minister Datuk Ewon Benedick announced that the recommendations from state administration members will be thoroughly considered and integrated into the legislative process as appropriate.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the new Bill aims to liberalise legal frameworks and reinforce the Malaysian Cooperative Commission (SKM) as the primary regulatory authority. Ewon highlighted that studies conducted in 2023 identified legal constraints hindering cooperatives from engaging directly in various business sectors. He cited the Tourism Industry Act 1992 and the Private Healthcare Facilities and Services Act 1998, which restrict operations in those sectors to companies registered under the Companies Act 2016.

To date, KUSKOP and SKM have held 10 engagement sessions, involving 295 cooperatives and 47 government agencies. The next session is planned for Penang.