Malaysia to be SEA hub for ICA next month

Malaysia is to be the Southeast Asian cooperative hub for the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) when it relocates its business office to Kuala Lumpur next month.

The ICA office was previously in Singapore with the republic being the Southeast Asian cooperative hub.

The President of the National Cooperative Organisation of Malaysia Ltd (Angkasa) Prof Datuk Dr Mohd Ali Baharum said it is hoped that the presence of the ICA office in Kuala Lumpur will open up opportunities for Malaysia's economy in respect of cooperative trade globally.

"We have agreed to the Singapore office being moved to Kuala Lumpur to serve as the cooperative hub for Southeast Asia," he told Bernama here.

He said Angkasa had agreed to also provide office space for the ICA which will be manned by a staff of four, including two from Malaysia to manage the business affairs," he added.

Mohd Ali, who is also a committee member of the ICA said the new ICA vision is for trade to be undertaken between cooperatives of Asia Pacific countries.