President Prabowo Subianto, in an event held on July 21, 2025, in Bentangan Village, Klaten, reiterated the purpose of the 80,081 Merah Putih Village Cooperatives to enhance the welfare of the people and not for the benefit of a selected few. He stressed the importance of strict monitoring by all stakeholders to prevent any potential abuse, citing past mistakes during the New Order era where cooperatives were joked to benefit only the chairman. The President highlighted the incorporation of technology and transparency in the new cooperative system, allowing real-time monitoring and auditing of all financial transactions. He called for active involvement from village heads in supervising the cooperatives to ensure their alignment with the community’s needs. President Prabowo used a traditional metaphor to illustrate the power of unity in cooperatives, emphasizing mutual cooperation and economic solidarity. He expressed optimism that this initiative would rejuvenate Indonesia’s rural economy, decentralize resources, and shift economic momentum towards regencies, districts, and villages.
Prabowo: Cooperatives Belong to the People, Not Chairmen Profit First
