KPDRM sets to diversify its tourism-related business

JOHOR BAHRU: Koperasi Polis Diraja Malaysia Berhad (KPDRM), through its business wing, KOP Mantap Berhad, is planning to diversify its tourism-related business to strengthen its position in the tourism market with several initiatives ready to be implemented soon.

Its chairman, Datuk Seri Ayub Yaakob said the initiatives, aimed at among others to turn the diversified police assets into tourism attractions, either at the domestic or international level.

He said, to ensure success of the initiatives, KPDRM would work closely with the relevant quarters, especially travel agencies and hoteliers to promote their tourism products.

"Actually, KOP Mantap has seven subsidiaries involved in different types of business relating to education, security, retail, logistics, aviation, tourism and construction.

"So, in regard to the tourism sector, we can turn police assets such as Police Training Centre and Police Museum as tourism attractions.

"As of now, we already have a licence to run weapons business and this will probably enable us to collaborate with the police force to develop shooting ranges to lure tourists to feel the shooting club experience in a professional way," said Ayub, who is also chairman of KOP Mantap.

He said this to reporters after attending KPDRM and KOP Mantap to the Southern Zone Police Contingent here Thursday night.

Also present were Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador, Bukit Aman Logistics and Technology Department director Datuk Seri Mazlan Lazim and Johor Police deputy chief Datuk Khaw Kok Chin.

Ayub said KPDRM would also discuss with the Malaysian Cooperative Commission and relevant agencies to enable KOP Mantap to collaborate with all cooperatives in Malaysia in offering travel and tour services.

"We aim to be one of the leading travel agencies that offer travel and tour services not only to our members but also to members of other cooperatives.

"We believe it can be done as among the police members, there already a niche market involving their families and relatives who may want to use the service of travel agencies to perform haj and umrah," he said, adding that KPDRM now has 104,000 members.

-- BERNAMA