Mendes Yandri Emphasizes Village Funds Are Not Cut, Only Changed Its Management

Mendes PDT Yandri Susanto received an audience with Deputy Regent of Majene Andi Ritamariani in his office at the PDT Kemendes Office, Jakarta, Thursday (9/4/2026). ANTARA/HO-Humas Kemendes PDT

JAKARTA - Minister of Villages and Regional Development (Mendes PDT) Yandri Susanto emphasized that village funds were not cut by the central government.

"So, the village fund is not taken by the center. President Prabowo Subianto or the Minister of Villages has never taken village funds, no," said Yandri, quoted in Jakarta, Antara, Monday, April 13.

He explained that the government only changed the management and utilization of village funds so that it was more measurable, productive, and had an immediate economic impact on the village community.

According to Yandri, the change in governance is aimed at strengthening the village business unit through the Red and White Village Cooperative (Kopdes), which is functional to break the chain of usurers, reduce dependence on middlemen, become off takers of the residents' production, to distribute subsidized fertilizer and gas.

This was conveyed by Yandri when reviewing the Red and White Bubung Health Center in South Luwuk District, Banggai Regency, Central Sulawesi.

He denied information that said village funds were cut by the central government. According to him, the government actually strengthened the management formula so that the use of village funds was more massive, directed, and the benefits were wider.

"So this is a noble program. If someone says that the village fund is cut by the center, no. This is made the management system is more massive, more numerous, and more measurable," he said.

Furthermore, the former Deputy Chairman of the MPR RI assessed that the existence of the Red and White Kopdes in all villages would be an important instrument in realizing President Prabowo's sixth Asta Cita, namely building from the village and from below for economic equalization and poverty eradication.

According to him, the equalization of rural economy is important to be carried out so that the inter-regional gap can be suppressed. Therefore, the Red and White Kopdes is considered to be the right tool to strengthen the distribution of business and access to basic community needs.

Yandri even proposed that new permits for modern retail be limited, because some of its distribution functions will be strengthened through the Kopdes Merah Putih network in villages.

He also invited all village residents to actively participate in the success of the cooperative. According to him, if Kopdes runs optimally, 80 percent of the remaining business results will return to cooperative members, namely village residents, while the remaining 20 percent will become village original income (PADes).