MALACCA: Younger generation of Malaccans should appreciate the sacrifices made by the police force to ensure the nation's safety.

Speaking at a special luncheon treat for the members of Malacca ex-Police Force Association here at the Hang Tuah Hall, Chief Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Ali Rustam said the young people should inherit the fighting spirit of previous policemen who had discharged their duties efficiently to keep the nation safe.

"If the younger generation is highly patriotic, the country's future will continue to be bright. We have to remember the struggle of our forefathers to gain independence for the country and the policemen who worked har to keep crime in check," he said.

During the event, Mohd Ali also approved an additional RM10,000 grant in response to the Association's president Idris Mohd Ali's appeal to the state government to increase its current RM40,000 annual grant to the Association.

Idris also asked both the state and Federal governments to consider giving more awards and recognition to heroes involving former policemen.

He said that such recognition was important for uplifting their spirit of the ex-policemen during their twilight years.

"Besides giving medals and awards we must also acknowledge them for their services," said Idris adding that the current police personnel

might have very little idea of the sacrifices put forth by the senior colleagues in combating against crime and the communist insurgents in the past.

He said the association is not only for low ranking officers and invited former senior police officers to join to help enrich and strengthen its representation.

"The association is open to all ex-police officers," he said adding that some former senior police officers had formed their own association due to this wrong assumption and also out of fear that they might be defeated by the rank-and-file when contesting for positions in the committee.

Mohd Ali later presented wheelchairs to five ex-police personnel namely Mohamed Dalil (Tangga Batu), Abu Kasim Larkim, Ahmad Daim (both Lendu), Mohd Saad A. Bakar (Alor Gajah) and Ahmad Dolmat (Merlimau).

National Ex-Policemen Association Secretary-General Rohani Ahmad Jalis, State Deputy Police Chief Senior Asst Comm Datuk Shah Gzali

Khan Shahadad also joined the members for a delicious luncheon treat.

BERA: The survival and development of cooperatives in the country depends largely on members support.

Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Datuk Seri Ismail Sabri Yaakob said the retail shops run by cooperatives might face competition from from hypermarkets and supermarkets.

"However, there are some 7.6 million members who contribute to the success of their cooperatives."

Ismail Sabri said the members had to be regular and loyal customers by purchasing their household needs at the shops operated by their cooperatives.

He said the members should take the lead and not expect non-members to come and purchase the goods.

"Despite the high competition with hypermarkets and others that have various kind of marketing strategies including promotions, the cooperatives should also come out with innovative promotions to suit the demand and needs of its members.

"Judging by the 7.6 million members, I see no reason for the cooperatives to have poor sales, poor response and support from its members.

"I also see there is no reason for the cooperatives to close shop if their members are supportive and the items sold in the shops are for their daily needs," Ismail Sabri said after opening a retail shop in Felda Tembangau Satu here.

The shop is managed by the Koperasi Peneroka Felda Tembangau Satu Kemayan Pahang Berhad.

He said the ministry had targeted to open a smart cooperative in a village in each state which among others the respective village should have a petrol station, a one-stop centre, a retail shop run by the cooperative and participate in the transformation and modernisation (Tukar) programme. The village should also have one mini-bank of automatic teller machine and the cooperative should sell agriculture based products.

Ismail Sabri said currently only one village - Felcra Kampung Seri Makmur - in Pekan has fullfilled the criteria set while in other states efforts of setting up the similar cooperative are going on.

Ismail Sabri said the shops under the cooperatives could also be the marketing centres to sell the local village products which are mainly agriculture-based products.

He said in a move to compete with the giant superstores, the cooperatives should come out with up-to-date approaches in marketing plans.

"They have to be more creative and have certain different or uniqueness of operating the shops," he said.

KUANTAN: The Fire and Rescue Department personnel have to come out from their comfort zones and should be ready to serve round-the-clock.

Fire and Rescue Department director-general Datuk Wan Mohd Nor Ibrahim said members of public have high faith and expectation for the department and for the good services and the challenge to be responsible and provide fast service.

Wan Mohd Nor said his staff had been performing up to the expectation thus far.

"However with the increase in challenges, they should not be too comfortable with the achievements.

"Our job has been expanded to other type of rescue tasks.

"Our response time to any calls from the public on any incidents of fire or accidents have been attended to accordingly.

"However, we still have to ensure that such routines are not taken for granted by our staff because once we fail, the public will lose confidence in us and the department's image battered," Wan Mohd Nor said after presenting excellence service awards to his staff at a hotel here. Also present was Pahang director Datuk Abdul Wahab Mat Yassin.

Some 153 department's officers in Pahang received the awards.

Wan Mohd Nor said his officers were also on stand-by, should they be called to to join others in Lahad Datu.

He said currently, the department's officers in Lahad Datu, Kudat stations and sub-stations are on the alert to serve and in case of any urgencies, they will be roped-in.

"While we are saddened with what had happened to the police officers in Lahad Datu, we cannot shy away from the incident despite the high risk, because it is also our line of duty to the country," he said.

Wan Mohd Nor said his staff will be there as soon as they receive the green light from the authorities.