M'sia Ready To Collaborate With Asean Countries Through Cooperatives

KUALA LUMPUR, May 26 (Bernama) -- Malaysia is willing to forge cooperation in the fields of agriculture, livestock breeding and tourism with Asean member countries through cooperatives. Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the collaboration would enable a network be established between cooperatives in Asean member countries and hence, help them to spread their wings at a global level. He said for a start, the collaboration would only be established with Indonesia, Brunei, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam, and the memorandum of understanding for the purpose were being drafted. "Basically, all cooperative ministers from Asean member countries have agreed to our proposal to establish a network among cooperatives in Asean member countries," he told reporters after opening the 28th annual general assembly of cooperative organisation, Angkatan Koperasi Kebangsaan Malaysia Bhd (Angkasa) here Saturday. The minister also did not rule out the possibility for cooperation in other fields in the future. "Each country has its specialty. The cooperatives in Indonesia are good in agriculture and livestock breeding, while those in Thailand have vast potential in tourism and the ones in Brunei are more interested in Islamic mortgage. So, we'll look into all that," he added. -- BERNAMA