Monday October 3, 2011
By DURIE RAINER FONG (durie@thestar.com.my)
KOTA KINABALU: A cooperative in Sabah has contributed towards creating jobs for youths significantly for more than 30 years since its inception.
Kosan, short for Koperasi Serbaguna Sanya Berhad, has implemented countless projects introduced by the government over the years and this has spawned job opportunities for the young.
Its general manager Junian Yunus said Kosan has also welcomed single mothers into the fold through the outsourcing of garment manufacturing to single mothers who have tailoring skills.
“The value of this outsourcing is about RM300,000 and will be increased in the future,” he said at Kosan’s Hari Raya open house here recently.
Junian said since its incorporation, Kosan has undertaken various projects such as printing, furniture manufacturing, shoe-making and garment manufacture.
“At the moment, Kosan is only concentrating on a government contract to make shoes and school uniforms, to be supplied to all primary school students,” he said, adding this was Kosan’s main income.
The cooperative signed a 10-year contract with the Government in 2008 to supply two pairs of shoes and uniforms to all primary students in Sabah, he said.
Winning smile: Sabah Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Peter Pang who was the guest-of-honour, presenting a lucky draw prize to a Kosan staff during the Hari Raya open house recently.
Their shoe factory in the southwest district of Papar could produce up to 300,000 pairs on one shift operation per year, Junian said, adding Kosan made a profit of RM1.9mil last year.
“On the other hand, the garment factory has a capacity of 400,000 also, on one-shift operation per year, he said, adding the combined number of workers for both factories was over 400 people.
Formed under the Cooperative Act on June 10, 1976, Kosan was the vehicle through which youths who were members of Sanya (Sabah National Youth Association) could directly participate in business opportunities provided by the government. Sanya was deregistered in 2004.
Kosan is managed by a Board of Directors comprising 13 members, of which 12 are elected during the annual general meetings.
The chairman, according to Kosan by-laws, must be the incumbent state Minister of Youth and Sports.
Junian said Kosan, a non-government agency, was a business entity and would endeavour to improve shareholder value through effective management of its assets.
“It is constantly upgrading the skills of its employees and investing in better technologies.
“It recognises that it has to diversify its sources of income and always assess its business model and invest in new skills to be consistent with the new demands in the marketplace,” he said.