Prabowo Deploys Ministries to TNI-Polri, 25,000 Kopdes Targeted to Operate September

JAKARTA - President Prabowo Subianto asked all ministries, agencies, TNI, and Polri to support the Red and White Village Cooperative and Kelurahan Cooperative. The government targets around 25,000 cooperatives to start operating in August to September.

The directive was conveyed in a limited meeting at the Presidential Palace Complex, Jakarta, Thursday, July 23. The meeting lasted about three and a half hours.

Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan said cross-agency support was needed because the Red and White Kopdes would be a channel for distributing various government assistance and subsidized goods.

"It is reiterated that it must be fully supported," said Zulikifli Hasan or also often called Zulhas to reporters.

According to Zulhas, social assistance is under the Ministry of Social Affairs. Fertilizer involves state-owned enterprises. Agricultural tools and machinery assistance comes from the Ministry of Agriculture, while 3 kilogram LPG is related to the energy sector.

Because it involves many institutions, the government assesses that cooperative operations cannot be handed over only to the Ministry of Cooperatives.

Zulhas said the Vice President estimated that around 25,000 cooperatives would be completed and ready to run in August to September. The number is targeted to reach 35,862 units by the end of the year.

The cooperative will be built, repaired, and renovated for two years. After that period, its management will be handed over to the village.

"Because it is a cooperative owned by the village," he said.

Minister of Cooperatives Ferry Juliantono said the meeting also discussed operational preparations so that cooperatives can run well.

The government is finalizing a presidential regulation that will become the basis for the governance of the Red and White Kopdes. Zulhas said the draft regulation was initiated by Ferry together with the Minister of Villages and Regional Development Yandri Susanto.

Ferry ensured that the preparation of the rules was targeted to be completed this week.

Zulhas hopes that all issues regarding the governance and operations of the Red and White Kopdes will be clearer after October.