BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN

KOPERASI Berkat Kerjakaras Semua Sanang (BKSS) has raised concerns that the Ministry of Health might be planning to pull the plug on their operations.

As members of the cooperative, a large extent of the staff are retirees from the Ministry, and of course they will lose their only source of income, if that were to happened, said the Chairman of Koperasi BKSS during their Annual General Meeting yesterday.

“Over the financial year 2007/2008 the corporation was able to keep two digits dividend up till the financial year 2011/2012. Hopefully the financial status of year 2012/2013 will also be able to maintain the two digits dividend. Therefore, if we were threatened, the hope to intensify, expand and develop the business activities will also be neglected,” said Hj Md Salleh Hj Mohiddin.

Apart from that, the hope to make the shareholders as business partners will also be a disappointment. One hundred and forty three suppliers out of which 98 supply local cakes and 45 from groceries will also suffer, he added.

“With that I hope the Ministry would re-examine their plans to close us down, if one does exist, ” he said.

Members of the shareholders, total of 1478, has always had the vision to maintain the two digits dividend by working together and sharing ideas, he said.

“It is not easy to achieve as it requires management and prudent financial administration as well as following the rules outlined in the regulations of the cooperative,” he said.

At the same time, steps were monitored at all time to avoid financial wastage. One of the targets in financial savings was made such as reducing the workforce which was deemed no longer needed, without affecting services, he said.

Among them also include outsourcing services, closing kiosk and review activities that are not profitable.

He also proposed to introduce employees to perform “multitasking” which would maximise income and costs as well as reducing work force and thus would reduce cost of expenditure to employees.

Held at Sports Complex Hall, RIPAS hospital, about 60 members attended the annual general meeting.

Future planning for the next financial year includes production of mineral water and revising the existing menu, among others.

The Brunei Times