Malaysia's Angkasa To Turn MAAR Into World-Class Co-Op Training Centre

By Hamdan Ismail LANGKAWI (Kedah, Malaysia), July 15 (Bernama) -- Angkatan Koperasi Kebangsaan Malaysia Bhd (Angkasa, the Malaysia's national apex co-operative) plans to upgrade and turn its academy and resort here into a world-class cooperative training centre with an investment of up to US$3.49 million (RM15 million) by 2020. Its President, Abdul Fattah Abdullah said Angkasa would leverage its close relations with several overseas co-ops, especially those in ASEAN countries, in an effort to achieve this objective. He said the plan to upgrade MyAngkasa Academy and Resort (MAAR) was already submitted to the Langkawi local authority and if approved in the near future, preliminary works would start by year-end. “Plans are afoot for MAAR to conduct hospitality courses, and we will apply to the Department of Skills Development for SKM (Malaysian Skills Certificate) accreditation for these courses," he told reporters at the here Friday night. Located in Chandek Kura here, Abdul Fattah said MAAR, which was acquired by Angkasa in 2010, started operations in 2012 as its training and recreation centre. “MAAR has since been equipped with additional facilities. Now we have 58 rooms and with the addition of a new seven-storey block (under the new plan), we will add 100 more rooms," he said. He said MAAR would capitalise on the influx of Chinese tourists, especially Muslims, to Langkawi island in Malaysia's northern state Kedah by providing services and amenities that meet their tastes. The upgrading of MAAR will create more jobs in the tourism sector and augur well for the country’s co-op development, he said, adding that, “When completed, it will also be a new landmark for the co-op movement, especially in Langkawi." -- BERNAMA