NTT Is Called a Cooperative Laboratory, Rely on Solidarity and Mutual Cooperation

East Nusa Tenggara Governor Melki Laka Lena during his opening remarks in Kupang. ANTARA/Ho-Humas Pemprov

KUPANG - East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) Governor Melki Laka Lena said the island-based province is the best laboratory for the development of cooperative economy in Indonesia.

"In NTT, cooperatives are not an alternative choice, but a basic need and become the most relevant instrument to drive the people's economy. In many areas, cooperatives are present before banking services," said Melki in Kupang, Antara, Sunday, April 26.

According to him, the annual member meeting (RAT) is not just an obligation of the organization, but is the heart of cooperative life.

The forum serves to uphold accountability, strengthen trust, and determine the direction and future of cooperatives together.

Melki assessed that KSP TLM Indonesia has shown that cooperatives are able to grow without losing their identity. He emphasized that cooperatives not only function as financial institutions, but also as social movements that are in favor of small communities.

"Cooperatives also strengthen the family economy and build community-based solidarity," he said.

This, he continued, is reflected in various social responsibility (CSR) programs that are carried out, covering the education, religious, agricultural sectors, to the development of infrastructure and social activities in various work areas of KSP TLM Indonesia.

However, Melki reminded that the cooperative sector still faces a number of challenges. Among them are the gap between the number of cooperatives and their quality, limited access to financing, as well as human resource capacity and governance that need to continue to be strengthened.

In addition, cooperatives are also faced with the demands of digitization which require adaptation to technological developments.

"Fourth, the challenge of digitalization requires cooperatives to adapt to technological developments," said Melki.

Behind these various challenges, he saw great opportunities that NTT had, especially in terms of social strengths such as mutual cooperation, solidarity, and high community trust.

According to him, the limited access to formal financial institutions actually opens up space for cooperatives to become the spearhead of financial inclusion in the region.