The National Athletes Charity Foundation [Yakeb] has taken yet another step forward with the registration and launching of a cooperative. The National Athletes Cooperative was launched by Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, wife of the prime minister, at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

Equipped with a government grant of RM30,000, the cooperative seeks to encourage athletes to explore the field of business and entrepreneurship. Yakeb patron Rosmah said through the cooperative, athletes can learn various forms of entrepreneurship.

“The cooperative is a significant milestone for Yakeb because it creates and give more business opportunities to the athletes.

“Hopefully, the cooperative will be accepted by athletes and ex-athletes alike who will strive to make it successful,” she said during the launch.

Also present was Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob and Deputy Sports Minister Datuk Razali Ibrahim.
During the launch, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the National Athletes Cooperative, Iris Corporation Berhad and Perak Agricultural Development Corporation.

The three will develop a land in Tanjung Tualang, Perak into a rock melon farm.The 100-acre land is owned by Perak Agricultural Development Corporation and the harvest of rock melons is expected to generate a net profit of RM7 million a year. The National Athletes Cooperative was officially registered under subsection 7[1] of the Co-operatives Societies Act 1993 on Aug 28. About 1,000 athletes are targeted to join the cooperative by the end of the year.

New Strait Times – Friday, November 6, 2009