Grassroot local actors moving the social economy agenda as Third sector

Grassroots leaders who formed the Society of Solution Providers (SP Society) and the SDG Cooperative (Kop SDG) met on 14 and 15 August 2025. These are newly legally registered organisations to ensure sustainability, increase funding sources and become more visible as SSE organisations.

These leaders were brought together by Mr James Raj (President of the SDG Kop) and Mrs Ara Ezzaty (Chairperson of the SP Society). About thirty local leaders and staff gathered for the weekend to review the roles and responsibility and how to mobilise the SDG Solution providers who now number over 1,000 local actors. They have all received small grants from APPGM SDG and have been undertaking economic, social and environmental grassroots projects including community farms.

A number of guest speakers came online including Dr Ben Quninones of ASEC on social solidarity economy and Kumar Loganathan of ASSEFA Madurai on women and cooperatives in Madurai.

Two special guest who addressed the leadership workshop were Dato Mustapha Muhamad the former Economy Minister of Malaysia who is also an advisor of the SDG Society. The other is Datuk Hj Mohamad Ali Hasan, a member of ANGKAS the national cooperative organisation in Malaysia conducted a reflection planning session.

Datuk Denison Jayasooria in the opening session drew attention to the new provisions in the 13th Malaysia Plan (2026-2030) where the Malaysia government has given a special attention to Social Economy and recognised the role of the Third Sector (namely cooperatives, social enterprises, agriculturally based NGOs in this alternative economy which the policy document notes as “humanising the economy”. Dr Jayasooria highlighted that these policy provisions can guide the Kop SDG and the SP Society by tapping into the provisions as well as playing a policy advocacy role.

In the group work which followed both James and Ara summarised the findings of the leadership workshop.

Goals & Organisational priorities for Kop SDG. Seven points were highlighted.

1. Membership drive
2. Savings mobilisation
3. Marketing and sales
4. Sustainable financing
5. Learning Journey
6. Innovation and AI technology
7. Operations and governance guidance

Policy Directions for the SP Society. Five key pointers noted:-

1. Policy advocacy and laws on Kop and entrepreneurship
2. Capacity Building
3. Promotion and visibility
4. Crowdfunding
5. Operation and governance

More developments will be updated from time to time of the new SSE organisations in Malaysia.