Central Sulawesi Accelerates Development of Merah Putih Cooperative Outlets
Governor of Central Sulawesi, Anwar Hafid, attended the virtual inauguration of 1,061 Merah Putih Village and Urban Cooperatives led by President Prabowo Subianto from Lolu Village, Sigi Regency, on Saturday (May 16th).
The national event, centered in Nganjuk Regency, East Java, was also attended by President Prabowo Subianto along with members of the Merah Putih Cabinet, leaders of state institutions, the Commander of the Indonesian National Armed Forces, and the Chief of Police.
At the Lolu Village location, Governor Anwar Hafid was accompanied by Deputy Head of Central Sulawesi Regional Police, Brigadier General Helmi Kwarta Kusuma Putra Rauf, Commander of the XIII/Merdeka Military Command, Major General TNI Jonathan Binsar Parluhutan Sianipar, Head of the Central Sulawesi Prosecutor’s Office, Zullikar Tanjung, Regent of Sigi, Mohammad Rizal Intjenae, member of the Central Sulawesi Regional People’s Representative Council, Marlelah, and elements of the Sigi Regency Regional Leadership Coordination Forum.
In his speech, President Prabowo emphasized that the establishment of thousands of Merah Putih Village Cooperatives is a strategic step to strengthen national food security while increasing the economic independence of rural communities.
He stated that the development of cooperatives has progressed rapidly, in less than seven months since it began in November 2025, with more than 9,000 cooperative buildings and warehouses now ready to operate in various regions of Indonesia.
The President also encouraged all Indonesians to abandon feelings of inferiority towards other nations. According to him, Indonesia has great potential in managing its own resources, including meeting the food needs of hundreds of millions of people.
In response to these directives, Governor Anwar Hafid expressed the commitment of the Central Sulawesi Provincial Government together with the Regional Leadership Coordination Forum and district/city governments to fully support the implementation of the Merah Putih Cooperative program throughout the region.
“This cooperative is not just a symbolic program, but an important part of the government’s strategy in reducing extreme poverty through the application of the Pancasila Economic system based on the spirit of mutual cooperation and kinship as mandated in Article 33 of the 1945 Constitution,” he said.
Based on data from May 15, 2026, out of a target of 1,981 village and urban cooperatives in Central Sulawesi, 669 outlets are currently under physical construction. Of this number, 60 outlets have been fully completed and are ready to operate.
The Poso Regency is the region with the fastest progress after successfully completing 15 cooperative outlets by 100%. Meanwhile, North Morowali Regency remains a special focus because there are 113 outlets with construction progress below 50%, which are now being closely monitored by the government.
The Merah Putih Cooperative program is also designed to support several national priority programs in villages, starting from Free Nutritious Meals, free health services, development of Community Schools, to building decent homes for low-income people. In addition to accommodating community production, this cooperative will later function as an integrated service center.
The facilities provided include the distribution of subsidized gas, joint logistics services with PT Pos Indonesia, distribution of government assistance, affordable drug pharmacies, and access to micro-enterprise financing through the PNM Mekaar program with low interest rates below 10%.
The Central Sulawesi Provincial Government also expressed its appreciation to all parties involved, starting from regional apparatuses, sub-district governments, village heads, to cooperative administrators, for their synergy and cooperation in accelerating the development of Merah Putih cooperative outlets.
Through this inauguration, all stakeholders are expected to continue strengthening coordination in the coaching, supervision, and evaluation of cooperatives so that they can truly become a driving force for the people’s economy and encourage sustainable improvement in the welfare of the people of Central Sulawesi. (E-2)