The national co-operatives body Angkasa has condemned the move by PAS splinter party Berjasa to attract co-operative members to join the party in the lead up to the 14th general election.

Angkasa Johor chairperson Sazali Abd Hamid said Berjasa’s move breaches the objectives of co-operatives.

“The move to bring co-operatives into politics should be stopped and as a representative of co-operatives in Johor, I reject this.

“Co-operatives are apolitical, and our co-operatives have members of Umno, PAS and Pakatan (Harapan). We can be in the same co-operative despite our political differences.

“This is why co-operatives are unique, we look beyond politics,” he said.

Berjasa president Mustapa Kamal Maulut last weekend said the party will contest eight Selangor state seats and will target co-operative members.

Mustapa, who also introduced Berjasa as a “co-operative party”, said Berjasa will contest the 14th general election in a bid to spur the economy through the co-operative movement.

“Berjasa is a co-operative party. Co-operative members have not been touched by any party, and only in general terms if at all.

“If we think Umno has three million members, PAS a million while PKR has 500,000, the total is only four million members.

“There are, however, eight million co-operative members. So they are Malaysians who are untouched by political parties. In fact, all Berjasa leaders are co-operative members,” he told a press conference at Batu Caves last Sunday.

Meanwhile, Sazali said Mustapa’s statement had caused unrest among co-operative members who raised their concern to Angkasa.

“We have no issue if he wants to join politics, but don’t involve the co-operatives movement. This movement is about generating the economy, not politics.

“Politicians are free to join co-operatives, but don’t bring politics into the movement. It is inconsistent with our practices in Malaysia and worldwide,” he said.

He added that Angkasa Johor represents 1,000 co-operative bodies, and all of them reject Berjasa’s move.