Meet Mior Shahrin, the Story Behind the Best Cooperative in Perak

Behind the prestigious name of a well-known cooperative in Perak, Koperasi Peserta-Peserta Rancangan Felcra Seberang Perak Berhad, which has successfully made a name for itself by achieving success and has been recognized as the best cooperative in the state of Perak since its resurgence.

The Koperasi Peserta-Peserta Rancangan Felcra Seberang Perak Berhad that we see today was actually registered under the Cooperative Societies Act 1946 on January 4, 1986, and was originally named Koperasi Peneroka-Peneroka Felcra Seberang Perak Berhad. For your information, loyal readers of orangperak.com, the interesting story about Koperasi Peserta-Peserta Rancangan Felcra Seberang Perak Berhad that we want to share with you is about a cooperative that is said to be the best in the state of Perak with very impressive annual achievements.

Reference: Profile of the 100 Best Cooperatives in Malaysia 2016, page 47

This is proven by data-backed facts, as Koperasi Peserta-Peserta Rancangan Felcra Seberang Perak Berhad successfully secured the 42nd spot on the list of best cooperatives in Malaysia in 2016, and in 2017, it once again made a name for itself by ranking 32nd on the list.

Reference: Profile of the 100 Best Cooperatives in Malaysia 2017, page 35

Imagine that there were 13,648 registered cooperatives in our country as of June 2017, and for your information, Perak has the highest number of registered cooperatives by state, with 1,496 registered compared to other states. Given the data above, many must be curious about the individual behind the management of this top cooperative in Perak. On March 20, 2018, the editor of orangperak.com had the opportunity to interview the individual who is the backbone of Koperasi Peserta-Peserta Rancangan Felcra Seberang Perak Berhad, so that this article could be published as a source of inspiration for the public and a model for other cooperatives in our country. The General Manager of Koperasi Peserta-Peserta Rancangan Felcra Seberang Perak Berhad is the son of a retired soldier, born in Kampung Teluk Kepayang, Bota. He was born on August 1, 1967, and the name given by his parents is Mior Shahrin Bin Mior Mohamad Yusop.

Mior Shahrin received his early education at Sekolah Rendah Teluk Kepayang from 1974 to 1979. Then, in 1980, he continued his secondary education at Sekolah Menengah Sains Tuanku Syed Putra, located far in the north of Peninsular Malaysia, in Kangar, Perlis. After graduating with excellent results, Mior Shahrin did not waste time and immediately pursued university education at Institut Teknologi MARA, Dungun (ITM, now known as UiTM) in the field of Diploma in Public Administration. As soon as he finished his studies at Institut Teknologi MARA (ITM) Dungun, Mior Shahrin did not wait long and immediately applied for jobs to help his family. A month after his graduation ceremony, Mior Shahrin was called for an interview with the Federal Land Consolidation and Rehabilitation Authority (FELCRA) to fill a vacancy as a Community Service Officer. In 1989, his career began by serving FELCRA at their headquarters in Kuala Lumpur. After 2 years of service there, he was transferred to Kelantan and served there until 1992. In 1992, Mior Shahrin was asked to return to Seberang Perak to resolve the problems of a poorly managed cooperative. He finally returned to Seberang Perak and served as a seconded officer as General Manager for Koperasi Peserta-Peserta Rancangan Felcra Seberang Perak Berhad starting from 1992 until 1997. The challenges at the beginning were unexpected, with various problems such as accounts not being closed for two years, management issues, rebellious staff, and much more.

Mior Shahrin began to form and organize steps to correct the course of the struggling cooperative, and within 2 years, all the problems that had arisen previously were resolved quickly and effectively. At the age of 30, in 1997, Mior Shahrin chose to retire and decided to work full-time with the cooperative. Since then, his career and future have depended entirely on the success and ups and downs of Koperasi Peserta-Peserta Rancangan Felcra Seberang Perak Berhad. The decision made by Mior Shahrin to quit and choose to work full-time with the cooperative was a huge one, as it was like moving from a very large ship to a small one. This was because he was very confident in the ability and potential of the cooperative to go further. The position, performance, and achievements of Koperasi Peserta-Peserta Rancangan Felcra Seberang Perak Berhad today, as mentioned earlier—ranking 32nd on the list of best cooperatives in Malaysia and holding the title of the best cooperative in Perak—is a very proud achievement. The performance and business achievements of Koperasi Peserta-Peserta Rancangan Felcra Seberang Perak Berhad are excellent, with the highest profit record recorded in 2013 at RM4.6 million, involving a transaction value of over RM43 million. The dividend value for cooperative members has also reached as high as 20%. May the journey of this son of a retired soldier from Teluk Kepayang, Bota, be an example and an idol for young people to always strive and believe in their own abilities. Where there is a will, there is a way. If you want something, you must work hard to achieve it.

Thank you, Tuan Haji Mior Shahrin, for accepting the visit from the editor of orangperak.com to publish this article. Hopefully, the publication of this article will benefit the community and serve as a model for cooperatives throughout Malaysia so that they can improve their economy, and indirectly, these cooperatives can contribute to the improvement of the national economy.