639,732 Applicants for Kopdes Merah Putih Manager Positions
The government has recorded 639,732 applicants for the recruitment programme for managers of Village/Urban Village Cooperatives (Kopdes) Merah Putih as of the registration closure on 24 April 2026.
Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs and Head of the Kopdes Merah Putih Formation Task Force, Zulkifli Hasan, stated that out of the total applicants, 483,648 were deemed to meet administrative requirements.
“The selection process has now entered the competency test phase, which will take place from 3 to 12 May 2026,” Zulkifli said during a press conference in Jakarta on Monday.
The competency test will use the Computer Assisted Test (CAT) system, a method also employed in the selection of civil service candidates (CASN).
Zulkifli noted that the tests will be conducted at 72 locations across Indonesia to facilitate participants in choosing the nearest venue to their residences.
Following the CAT phase, participants will undergo additional competency selections, including psychological tests, ideological mindset assessments, and health checks from 20 to 31 May 2026.
The government has scheduled the announcement of the final selection results for 7 June 2026.
Successful candidates will then participate in basic military training for reserve components (komcad), as well as managerial and field competency training.
Zulkifli stressed that the recruitment process for Kopdes Merah Putih human resources will be strictly supervised by the national selection committee to ensure it is objective, transparent, accountable, and free from corruption, collusion, and nepotism.
The government also reminded the public not to trust parties promising passing the selection in exchange for certain payments.
“There is no fee whatsoever. There are no endorsements,” he emphasised.
Zulkifli stated that Kopdes Merah Putih is established as a new economic growth centre at the village and urban village level, in line with the President’s directive to strengthen community economies from the grassroots.
Through these cooperatives, the government aims to shorten supply chains that have previously been deemed too lengthy while strengthening the position of farmers and village business actors.
Kopdes Merah Putih will also serve as an offtaker or absorber of community production outputs to maintain stable commodity prices.
Zulkifli exemplified the government’s purchase price (HPP) for dry harvested rice at Rp6,500 per kilogram. If market prices fall below this threshold, the cooperative can purchase farmers’ harvests to keep prices stable and prevent losses for farmers.
In addition to its economic functions, he mentioned that Kopdes Merah Putih will act as an extension of the government in distributing social assistance and subsidised goods to ensure they reach the right targets.