KOTA KINABALU (Nov 14): United Progressive Kinabalu Organisation (Upko) president Datuk Ewon Benedick suggested that all 25 divisions of the party to set up a cooperative and association in their respective districts as an effort to eradicate poverty.

Ewon, who is entrepreneur and cooperatives development minister, said the establishment of cooperatives and associations can be a platform to develop people’s entrepreneurship skills.

"Upko is upset that the Kudat, Kota Marudu and Kota Belud are labelled as the poorest districts in Sabah and Malaysia. Upko must be effective not only in voicing the people's problems, but also being part of the solution.

"Through the cooperative movement, we can generate entrepreneurial activities for the people. Through the association movement, we can generate educational activities and skills," he said in a statement in conjunction with the Upko Zone A Convention in Kota Marudu on Monday. 

Meanwhile, he said the Cooperative Societies Commission (SKM) has proposed price stabilisation measures through the cooperative movement to ensure that the prices of basic goods sold in urban cooperatives are the same as those sold in rural cooperatives through transport subsidies.