ANGKASA Urges More Practical Approach In Regional Cooperative Trade

KUALA LUMPUR, April 28 (Bernama) -- Cooperatives in the Asia-Pacific region need to move quickly towards concrete, impactful implementation in cross-border trade activities, rather than remaining at the discussion stage, said National Cooperative Movement of Malaysia (ANGKASA) President Datuk Seri Dr Abdul Fattah Abdullah.

The Trade and Business Committee of the International Cooperative Alliance Asia and Pacific (ICA-AP) chairman said the shift is crucial to ensure that every collaborative network built is not merely symbolic but translated into tangible economic value.

Abdul Fattah also stressed that the current priority was to ensure that every initiative undertaken leads to cooperation and trade that delivers real value to cooperative members.

“For a long time, we have built many strategic relationships through discussions. Today’s global trade environment is increasingly challenging, but at the same time offers many new opportunities.

“Cooperatives have a unique role as we are driven not only by economic goals but also by values, inclusivity, and shared benefits,” he said in his welcoming remarks at the Asia-Pacific Cooperative Market Access Forum 2026 in Xi’an, China, yesterday.

The two-day forum, which began yesterday, was organised by the ICA-AP Trade and Business Committee and hosted by the All China Federation of Supply and Marketing Cooperatives (ACFSMC).

Conducted in a Learning Lab format, the forum combines structured presentations, practical product evaluations, and interactive trade discussions, enabling participants to gain market insights, assess product readiness, understand market expectations, share best practices, and explore broader cooperation opportunities.

Abdul Fattah, who is also President of the ASEAN Co-operative Organisation (ACO), said such platforms must be fully utilised to connect cooperatives, expand networks, and open up trade opportunities.

“Market readiness is a critical factor in ensuring the success of cooperatives in penetrating regional and international markets.

“In fact, even a small expression of interest can be the starting point for larger cooperation, provided it is followed by action and commitment,” he said.

In conjunction with the forum, Abdul Fattah also chaired the first ICA-AP Trade and Business Committee Meeting for 2026 last Sunday.

Also present was ANGKASA Group Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the ICA-AP Trade and Business Working Committee, Datuk Abdullah Jusoh, who presented a proposal to develop an integrated digital platform known as CoopTrade Asia as a step towards a more structured and centralised solution.

The platform is intended to function as an integrated system to collect, manage, and facilitate access to cooperative trade data at the Asia-Pacific level, thereby enhancing product visibility, facilitating business networking, and expanding cross-border trade opportunities.

According to Abdul Fattah, it was developed based on the Three-Year Strategic Plan (2022–2024), which focuses on gathering information on cooperative products and services as well as building a regional database to streamline trade processes.

“Initial initiatives include the implementation of a trade and business survey launched in 2023 to collect data on buying and selling activities, the use of e-commerce platforms, and potential cooperation among cooperatives in the region.

“The data collected is then refined and visualised through analytical systems to provide a clearer picture of the regional trade landscape and support more effective decision-making,” he said.

The ANGKASA delegation also held a bilateral meeting with ACFSMC, led by its President Wang Yuyan, and proposed the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the two parties to strengthen strategic cooperation, particularly in cooperative trade and business, while opening up more collaboration opportunities between Malaysia and China.

-- BERNAMA