KUALA LUMPUR, July 26 — Three hundred and thirty-two cooperatives were shut down or had their registration annulled since 2006, the Dewan Negara was told today.

Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Deputy Minister Datuk Rohani Abdul Karim said various measures were taken by Cooperatives Commission of Malaysia (CCM) officers, which included providing guidance and assistance, to prevent cancellation of the cooperatives.

“We do not want them shut down or have their registration revoked. However, following guidance and monitoring, we found that the 332 cooperatives were beyond redemption,” she said in reply to a question from Senator Ahamat @ Ahmad Yusup.

She said unprofitable cooperatives were aided through business development programmes, business matching and given financial aid and loans, if required.

“The ministry provided development aid grants worth RM15 million to 231 cooperatives last year, while RM78.1 million was given to 163 cooperatives as loans under the working capital fund to prevent the revocation of their permits,” she added.

Besides that, cooperatives with management problems were given counselling by supervising officers at the state and district-level.

Rohani said, among the factors which caused cooperatives to be revoked were dormancy, lack of activities and weak financial status, disinterest among cooperative members to continue registration, the cooperative carried out get-rick-quick schemes or other activities against the law and insufficient members in the cooperative (less than 15 members).

Meanwhile, she disclosed that 941 cooperatives did not pay out dividends to their members last year, as compared to 1,796 in 2008, 1,833 cooperatives (2007), 1,916 cooperatives (2006) and 1,899 cooperatives (2005). — Bernama