Over 1,500 Join CoopWalk As International Year Of Cooperatives 2025 Ends

KUALA LUMPUR, Dec 14 (Bernama) -- The International Year of Cooperatives 2025 (IYC2025) celebration concluded today with the IYC2025 CoopWalk, which drew more than 1,500 participants from various cooperative sectors and the general public, underscoring the spirit of unity and the cooperative movement’s sustained commitment to community well-being and national development.

Organised by the National Cooperative Movement Berhad (ANGKASA), the programme started at Dataran Dewan Bandaraya Kuala Lumpur and ended at the Kuala Lumpur Forest Eco Park (TERKL), offering participants a unique opportunity to experience the city’s urban landscape alongside its natural greenery, while promoting a healthy lifestyle.

Entrepreneur Development and Cooperatives Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Khairul Dzaimee Daud, in officiating the closing of IYC2025, said the CoopWalk was more than a recreational activity, carrying strong symbolic significance for the cooperative movement.

“The CoopWalk symbolises the collective journey of the cooperative movement, which has long progressed together in improving the quality of life of the people and contributing meaningfully to the nation’s economic and social development,” he said.

Khairul Dzaimee also expressed appreciation to ANGKASA for its continued commitment to ensuring the success of IYC2025 through the organisation of various impactful programmes that have strengthened the cooperative movement at both national and regional levels.

The event was also attended by ANGKASA president Datuk Seri Dr Abdul Fattah Abdullah, who is also ASEAN Co-operative Organisation (ACO) president, members of ANGKASA’s leadership, as well as representatives from local and international cooperatives.

It was further enlivened by the participation of representatives from eight cooperatives across ASEAN countries, including the Philippines, Indonesia, Cambodia and Timor-Leste, reflecting strong regional solidarity and support for enhanced cooperation within the Southeast Asian cooperative movement.

Abdul Fattah said the CoopWalk demonstrated the cooperative movement’s ability to unite communities through programmes with positive social impact.

“Programmes such as CoopWalk highlight the values of togetherness, unity and community strength that form the foundation of the cooperative movement, while reflecting its inclusive and people-centred spirit,” he said.

He added that the IYC2025 celebration throughout the year was reinforced through the implementation of various strategic initiatives.

“The organisation of initiatives such as the ASEAN Cooperative Dialogue (ACD) 2025 has provided an important platform to strengthen cooperation networks, promote knowledge sharing and expand development opportunities for cooperatives at the ASEAN level,” he said.

The CoopWalk was also held in tribute to the late Royal Professor Ungku Abdul Aziz, a leading thinker of the national cooperative movement, who initiated the KOPJOG walking event in the 1980s as a symbol of community participation and the cultivation of a healthy lifestyle among cooperative members.

The closing ceremony of IYC2025 reaffirmed the resolve of ANGKASA and the wider cooperative movement to sustain the momentum built throughout the year, with continued emphasis on unity, innovation, collaborative networks and the role of cooperatives in community development, in line with the aspirations of Malaysia MADANI.

-- BERNAMA