INTRODUCTION
Koperasi Bela Rakyat (KOBERA) initiative was launched by the Prime Minister of Malaysia on 20th July 2008 at the Putrajaya International Convention Centre (PICC).
KOBERA was established in 576 state assembly (DUN) areas throughout the country and the concept of establishment is to target the poor.
The membership structure of KOBERA is designed by matching the government's hope to eradicate poverty and it consists of one or all components of the following target groups:
i. Head of household (HoH) with a monthly income under the household basic PGK or Poverty Line Income level;
ii. Individuals aged 18 years old with a monthly income under the PGK level per capita;
iii. Orang Asli, the disabled (OKU), single mothers and orphans included in above categories, and;
iv. Community leaders involved with poverty programmes in DUN areas as co-operative executors
There are 3 suggested options for the co-operative establishment methods which are:
| Scenario/ Condition | Action Plan |
| i. A DUN that already has a co-operative for the poor | Existing co-operative is maintained |
| ii. For inactive co-operatives due to board and original members could not be traced | Co-operative is activated with poor people as new members |
| iii. A DUN that does not have co-operative for the poor | A new co-operative is to be established |
Establishment
- Social Welfare Department;
- Baitulmal Office/ Zakat Centre;
- District Office;
- Department of Orang Asli;Management
- Two-thirds chosen by co-operative general meeting;
- One-third appointed from the community and nominated by ADUN*Establishment Process
- A group not less than 50 members-to-be;
- Description of KOBERA establishment purposes by MCSC;
- Inaugural general meeting;
- Process of registering KOBERA;Co-operative Management
- Placement of temporary managers from among the MCSC pensioners with incentive allowance funded through Central Co-operatve Fund (CCF); or;
- Members or children of members trained as cooperative managers with MCSC guidance and assistance; or
- MCSC offers one management team through Part Time Training Scheme/ Unemployed Graduates Attachment for a period of co-operatives to be independent.Funding
- Unsecured loan of RM50, 000 as working capital for economic activities;Co-operative Activities
- Production of snacks, handicrafts and sea products;
- Commercial crops based on herbs such as lemon grass, kaffir lime leaves, patchouli, medicinal plants with guaranteed purchase;
- Services activities such as cleaning and maintenance of building, laundry, printing, building material production, eco-tourism services.Guidance
- Guidance;
- Training;
- Marketing.
Note:
* One-third of the Co-operative Board Members nominated by the ADUN shall be sanctioned by the Minister of Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism.
** Launching grant of RM30,000 is used to fund the members' share capital contribution of RM100 per person issued in the form of shared capital
*** Agro-based activities with technology and knowledge- based intensives such as planting vegetables, chilies, tomatoes, orchids, mushrooms and catfish breeding. Production is based on market guarantee through contract farming and government agencies to act as mentors for these activities.
