8.1 Bangladesh (Article 8) Fiji (Article 5), India, (Article 3 b) Indonesia (Article 6),
Philippines (Article 4), Malaysia (Article 2), and Sri Lanka (Article 3) have encountered
cooperative principles in their laws.
In the Indian Multi-state cooperative law, Section 3 (f) states that “ Cooperative
Principles means the cooperative principles as specified in the first schedule”. The
principle of the first schedule are not strictly ICA Principles, but do not contravene with
them either.
8.2 In the Indonesian Law while three principles 6(1), 6(3) and 6(4) are the same as ICA Principles the other 4 principles are not internationally accepted principles but they are in no way conflicting with internationally accepted cooperative principles.
8.3 The Philippines Cooperative Code has adopted the ICA Principles as they were before the Manchester Congress in 1995. The same is the case with Malaysia (Article 2 Interpretation). Thus while Philippines and Malaysia have included the cooperative principles, as they were at the time of their enactment, India and Indonesia have modified them partially. Bangladesh (Article 11) and Fiji (Article 4) for registration require that: “a cooperative must have to object to work according to cooperative principles”. They do not explain what it mean by cooperative principles. Sri Lanka has provided at section 3 (a) of the 1992 Amendment Act as follows: “a society which has as its objects the provision, in accordance with Co-operative Principles, of specified services contributing to the Economic, Social, Educational and Cultural welfare of it's members”. But the principles are not mentioned clearly.
8.4 It could be seen that objectives of cooperatives, definitions and preambles either have been mentioned very differently in laws or they do not find any reference at all. To bring clarity to and action on cooperatives, it would be desirable to change cooperative principles, definitions and values in accordance to the statement of cooperative identity in ICA Manchester Congress, and as recommended by the Cooperative Ministers Conference.
