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Friday November 6, 2009

Yakeb launch cooperative to help athletes venture into business

KUALA LUMPUR: The National Athletes Welfare Foundation (Yakeb) launched the Koperasi Atlet Malaysia Berhad (KAMB) yesterday in a move to provide investment opportunities for athletes under their wing.

Yakeb patron Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, who is also the Prime Minister’s wife, said the KAMB was set up to help athletes, including those with disabilities (OKU), to venture into business.

“One of the main objectives for setting up KAMB is to do business that can contribute revenue which can then be channeled towards the welfare of athletes in the long run,” she said after launching the KAMB at the National Stadium in Bukit Jalil yesterday.

“We hope athletes who become members and invest in the cooperative, will be able to reap good returns for their investment.” Rosmah added that KAMB’s first project would be to cultivate 100 acres in Tanjung Tualang, allocated by the Perak government, with watermelon.

“Cultivating watermelon can generate very good income and contribute about RM18mil a year to KAMB. I hope the venture will help raise the living standards of athletes and also take care of their welfare,” she said.

The Prime Minister’s wife who witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding by KAMB with Iris Corporation and the Perak Agriculture Development Corporation here yesterday, said other associations in the country should also venture into similar projects to generate income for their associations and not depend on government funding alone.

Meanwhile, Domestic Trade, Cooperative and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said his ministry would provide KAMB with an initial grant of RM30,000.

“If KAMB’s venture is successful, we can increase the grant from time to time,” he said.

He also urged other associations to follow in Yakeb’s footsteps. — Bernama

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