Agam Military Commander Denies Red-and-White Cooperative Built in Isolated Location
The Commander of Military District 03/04 Agam, West Sumatra, has denied information suggesting the Red-and-White Village/Sub-district Cooperative (Kopdeskel Merah Putih) was built in an isolated location difficult for residents to access in Nagari (Village) Sianok, Agam Regency.
“The information circulating on social media is incomplete. The location is surrounded by residents’ homes and is traversed daily by motorists travelling from Bukittinggi to Agam. Most importantly, it is situated within the Ngarai Sianok tourist area,” said Agam Military Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Inf. Dwi Santoso, on Friday.
Based on field observations, the Red-and-White Cooperative in Nagari Sianok is easily accessible by various types of vehicles due to good road access, located precisely on the right side after crossing the bridge marking the border between Bukittinggi and Agam.
As it is a tourist area, the surroundings of the cooperative are filled with residents’ homes and restaurants. Adjacent to it is the Nagari Sianok Consultative Body office, which will soon be converted into the Wali Nagari (Village Head) office.
“The selection and determination of the cooperative’s building site was carried out by the nagari government together with traditional leaders from the local Kerapatan Adat Nagari. We also understand the land limitations faced by the nagari. The Wali Nagari office will also be relocated here, so the area will become even busier with people coming and going,” he added.
He further explained that the Sianok Red-and-White Cooperative is intended for the local community to sell their harvests and purchase daily necessities.
“In accordance with the President’s directive, the Kopdeskel is a government programme aimed at strengthening the people’s economy and creating an integrated service centre in every village,” he said.
The facility generally includes a grocery outlet, village clinic, pharmacy, micro savings and loan services, and logistics, including the handling of local residents’ agricultural produce.
“So that later, the cooperative will manage and possibly market the harvests, ensuring residents are not confused about where to sell their produce and natural resources,” he stated.
The Sianok Cooperative was completed three months ago. The Military Commander is targeting the establishment of 25 cooperatives by 2026, with 13 having been successfully established to date.