HKN’26 To Feature 150 Booths, Targets Over 10,000 Visitors

KUALA LUMPUR, June 22 (Bernama) -- The Malaysia Co-operative Societies Commission (SKM) is targeting to attract more than 10,000 visitors to the National Cooperative Day 2026 (HKN’26), scheduled to take place from July 3 to 5. 

Its chairman, Datuk Ahmad Norihan Jalal, said this year’s edition, to be held at the PICCA Convention Centre @ Arena Butterworth, Penang, is designed with a fresher, more inclusive and people-friendly approach to highlight the cooperative’s role as a catalyst for the community’s economic growth. 

“Cooperatives are not only a movement that drives economic growth, but also one that fosters social unity,” he said at the pre-launch of HKN’26 at Menara SKM here today. 

He also encouraged youths to participate in HKN’26 to witness firsthand how the cooperative movement can open up opportunities in entrepreneurship, the economy and community development. 

Meanwhile, in a statement, SKM said the grand finale of HKN’26 on July 4 is expected to be officiated by Penang Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow and attended by the Minister of Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development Steven Sim. 

According to SKM, two new special awards will be introduced during the grand finale, the Minister’s Special Award: Sustainable Cooperative and the Minister’s Special Award: Community Cooperative, to give recognition to rapidly growing cooperatives with strong potential to become leaders in their respective sectors. 

With the theme ‘Cooperatives Empower Communities, Building a MADANI Nation’, the three-day carnival will be held on a larger scale, featuring 150 sales and exhibition booths spanning the economic, education, technology, tourism, food, entrepreneurship and public services sectors. 

SKM said cooperative movement booths will form the backbone of the exhibition, including the Ministry of Entrepreneur and Cooperatives Development (KUSKOP) Pavilion with its nine agencies, as well as the SKM Pavilion offering advisory services, grants and financing facilities. 

HKN’26 will also feature four special MADANI Cooperative Sale booths offering savings of up to 40 per cent on essential goods and cooperative products. 

To support the nation’s human capital development agenda, HKN’26 will also include booths such as Jom Masuk Universiti, Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET), artificial intelligence (AI), and the Jom Cari Kerja (MYFutureJobs) booth. 

In addition, visitors can enjoy a variety of popular dishes such as laksa from various states nationwide at Festival Warisan Laksa @ HKN’26, one of the unique highlights of this year’s event. 

-- BERNAMA