Jakarta, VIVA \u2013 Economist Dr.\u00a0Surya Vandiantara has stated that the\nRed-and-White Village Cooperatives programme, known as Kopdes Merah\nPutih, is conceptually aligned with the thinking of Indonesia\u2019s founding\nfathers.<\/p>\n
Article 33 of the 1945 Constitution stipulates that the Indonesian\neconomy shall be organised as a joint endeavour based on the principle\nof the family spirit.<\/p>\n
One of the implementations of that article is the cooperative.\nThrough cooperatives, economic development can be pursued without\ndistinguishing between the classes and groups within society.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe central idea behind the founding of cooperatives by our founding\nfathers was to advance the economy through mutual cooperation (gotong\nroyong) without discriminating between classes or groups of society,\u201d\nSurya said in a statement on Sunday, 12 July 2026.<\/p>\n
According to Surya, one of the defining characteristics of a\ncooperative is mutual assistance. Members pool funds as shared capital,\nwhich can then be used to help fellow members through savings and loan\nschemes.<\/p>\n
The profits generated from members\u2019 loans are ultimately returned to\nthe cooperative\u2019s members to be enjoyed collectively in the form of SHU\n(Sisa Hasil Usaha, or surplus from business operations).<\/p>\n
\u201cThis principle of mutual assistance, in a savings-and-loan\ncooperative scheme, is implemented through members\u2019 principal savings\nand mandatory savings. These deposits can then provide assistance in the\nform of loans to other members of the cooperative, whether for\nproductive or consumptive purposes,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n
Through the KDMP, Surya said, the government is essentially pushing\nthe cooperative concept down to the grassroots. State intervention is\ncarried out by substituting the source of cooperative capital, from\nmember contributions to taxes, but the principle remains mutual\nassistance.<\/p>\n
\u201cUnlike savings-and-loan cooperatives that rely on raising funds from\nmembers\u2019 principal and mandatory savings, the KDMP relies on tax\nrevenues collected from the public to help other members of the public.\nThus the principle of mutual assistance, which is the core principle of\ncooperatives, remains the main foundation,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
According to Surya, this intervention can bridge the classic problem\nof cooperatives, whereby people are reluctant to join because they\ncannot afford the principal and mandatory savings. Even so, its benefits\ncan be felt by the wider public.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis KDMP innovation is also able to answer the classic problem\nfaced by earlier cooperatives, which struggled to persuade people to\nbecome members because of their inability to pay the principal and\nmandatory savings,\u201d he explained.<\/p>", "url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/economist-says-red-and-white-village-cooperatives-align-with-founding-fathers-ideas-1783864276", "image": "" }, "sponsor": "Okusi Associates", "sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com" }