Dakata Youth Cooperative a model for sustainable community entrepreneurship

Borneo Post

2 days ago

Ewon releases tilapia fish fry into the pond during the project visit.
PENAMPANG (July 15): Koperasi Pembangunan Dakata Sabah Berhad (DAKATA) has received RM100,000 under the SejaTi Madani Programme to carry out a tilapia fish farming project in Kampung Kiranau Inobong.
The allocation, channelled through the Implementation Coordination Unit (ICU) of the Prime Minister's Department, is being supervised by ANGKASA Sabah, which is also overseeing the project's implementation.
Minister of Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives, Datuk Ewon Benedick, praised the cooperative — which is led by youth — as an exemplary model for young people nationwide, especially in Sabah, to venture into business through cooperatives.
'I am proud to see this cooperative run by young people. This aligns with the government's aspiration to foster greater youth involvement in the cooperative movement,' he said.
Ewon made the remarks during a visit to the project site, accompanied by representatives from the Malaysian Cooperative Commission (SKM) and ANGKASA Sabah.
Established just last year, DAKATA is not only involved in fish farming but also engages in ginger and chilli cultivation using fertigation methods, in addition to offering homestay services.
'The ministry will continue to support youth cooperatives like Koperasi Dakata so they can grow and contribute meaningfully to the state and national economy. I hope this initiative inspires more youth to see cooperatives as platforms for income generation and community empowerment,' he said.
As the Member of Parliament for Penampang, Ewon also presented contributions from his parliamentary allocation to two other cooperatives: RM20,000 to Koperasi Putaton Jaya Berhad and RM10,000 to Koperasi Tampasak Berhad to support their business activities.
'This is part of the commitment I made during Koperasi Putaton Jaya's AGM. I want to see village cooperatives continue to grow and benefit their members,' he added.
Meanwhile, DAKATA chairman Michael Fadilah Raio expressed his gratitude to the government, Ewon, SKM and ANGKASA for their continued support.
'With the help of the SejaTi Madani Programme, we can help our members generate income and plan to expand the project further to benefit more people,' he said.
Michael also encouraged more youth in Sabah to pursue entrepreneurship through the cooperative model, which he described as a sustainable and collective income-generating platform.