Royal Prof Ungku A Aziz today announced that he would be stepping down as the president of the National Cooperative Organisation of Malaysia (Angkasa).

His resignation, after helming the cooperative for more than 35 years, was effective yesterday.

He also said that he would not be accepting nomination for presidency at Angkasa's annual general meeting to be held in Putrajaya on Saturday.

ungku aziz universiti malaya Ungku Aziz has come under pressure from members of the cooperative following an internal problem which resulted in him being oust as the president last May.

However an intervention by the Cooperative Commission of Malaysia (CCM) saw Ungku Aziz being restored and declared the legitimate president of Angkasa.

The ongoing internal turmoil also had delayed Angkasa's AGM which was to be held by Dec 31 last year.

The CCM has given the cooperative until Jan 10 (this Saturday) to hold its AGM, failing which the commission would take over Angkasa's administration.

Ungku Aziz came under renewed pressure yesterday when former Land and Cooperatives Ministry secretary-general Yidris Abdullah urged the royal professor to step down.

Members unhappy

Yidris was reported as saying that recent developments had caused Angkasa members to feel betrayed because they were not informed of amendments to the Cooperatives Commission of Malaysia Act which were enforced on Jan 1 last year.

Angkasa was set up in 1971 to represent about 5,000 cooperatives with total membership of about six million and assets estimated at RM47 billion.

The cooperative had its first annual meeting on July 31, 1971 and Ungku Aziz was elected as its first president.

Ungku Aziz was expected to face a fight for the president's post this Saturday.

Both Yidris and former Pahang menteri besar Rahim Bakar had indicated their interest in the post.

Yidris was reported as saying that it was time for Ungku Aziz to step aside as he had been leading the organisation for a long time.

"It is time for change, and change must come from the top leadership. It is time for him to give way to young blood," he said yesterday.

More than 2,000 delegates will elect the new Angkasa leaders on Saturday.