President Prabowo Subianto Launches 80,081 Merah Village and Urban Cooperatives in Landmark Economic Movement

President Prabowo officially launched the establishment of 80,081 Merah Putih Village/Urban Cooperatives (KDMP/KKMP) during a ceremony held at the Merah Putih Village Cooperative in Bentangan Village, Wonosari District, Klaten Regency, on Monday (07/21). (Photo by: BPMI of Presidential Secretariat)

President Prabowo Subianto Monday (07/21) officially launched the establishment of 80,081 Merah Putih Village/Urban Cooperatives (KDMP/KKMP) during a ceremony held at the Merah Putih Village Cooperative in Bentangan Village, Wonosari District, Klaten Regency.

The President received an enthusiastic welcome upon from invited guests upon his arrival at the event venue.

On that occasion, the President symbolically handed over the Cooperative Legal Entity Decrees to five cooperative chairpersons, namely Bambang Gunarsa (KDMP Bentangan, Klaten), Jamaluddin Adiwijaya (KDMP Sumbung, Boyolali), Parni (KDMP Karangdowo, Klaten), Sumanto (KKMP Banyuanyar, Surakarta), and Rizka Hidayati (KDMP Ceper, Klaten).

In his remarks, President Prabowo Subianto emphasized that cooperatives are a tool for the people to gain economic strength, adding that launching 80,081 cooperatives is not a small step, but a strategic national movement to break the dominance of large entities that have long hindered the people’s progress.

“Today we are launching the institutionalization of 80,000 Merah Putih Village and Urban Cooperatives, exactly 80,081 cooperatives. Today is indeed a historic day. We are beginning a major effort. These cooperatives represent a large strategic endeavor,” said the President.

Beyond legal formalities, the President also explained that these cooperatives would be supported with real infrastructure such as storage warehouses, cold storage facilities, basic goods outlets, pharmacies, and logistics vehicles.

There will also be super-micro loan facilities to ease goods distribution and stimulate the rural economy, he added.

“If we have good intentions, strong will, and strong motivation, we can make the impossible possible. Eighty thousand,” he said.

The launch was then marked by the pressing of a siren button by the President, symbolizing the start of a nationwide cooperative movement to realize the Indonesian people’s economic independence.

In the meantime, Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs and Head of the National KDMP Task Force Zulkifli Hasan reported that the cooperative institutional launch is part of a broader movement to build a modern village economic ecosystem that supports the grassroots.

“Today we are introducing a new face of Indonesian cooperatives: Merah Putih Village or Urban Cooperatives. These cooperatives are not only platforms for production and distribution, but also aim to cut supply chains, eliminate middlemen and loan sharks, and empower farmers, fishers, and rural entrepreneurs, all based on the principles of mutual cooperation and economic democracy as consistently emphasized by the President,” Zulkifli said. (BPMI Presidential Secretariat) (AS/EP)