Cooperative Minister States Prabowo Supports Cooperatives through Merah Putih Village Cooperative Programme

JAKARTA - Cooperative Minister Ferry Joko Juliantono has stated that President Prabowo Subianto is committed to supporting cooperatives through the Merah Putih Village Cooperative Programme.

He made the remarks whilst attending the 92nd Memorial of Haji Oemar Said (HOS) Tjokroaminoto at the Central Board headquarters of Syarikat Islam (SI) in Pegangsaan, Central Jakarta, on Sunday (1 March 2026).

“There is now a Cooperative Minister and a President who is committed to cooperatives. There is this Village Cooperative programme, and God willing, within one to two months, village cooperatives will be established across every village and sub-district in Indonesia,” said Ferry on Sunday evening.

“So the President is saying that the community, especially rural communities, must no longer be merely benefit recipients. They should no longer simply receive cash transfers, social assistance, or family welfare programmes,” he added.

Beyond that, Ferry stated that Prabowo wants communities to no longer play only the role of bank customers, whether in state-owned or private banks.

“But what is far more important now is that the President is opening access to capital. Storage facilities, retail outlets, equipment, and working capital are now being provided for the Merah Putih Village Cooperatives,” he said.

“And God willing, this will create money circulation in villages, generate economic growth in villages, and bring about relatively significant change,” Ferry continued.

Nonetheless, Ferry considered the policy to be an important turning point.

He noted that since Indonesia signed a Letter of Intent (LoI) with the IMF in 1998, the direction and practice of the national economy had followed the prescriptions of that international financial institution.

“The President has stated that the state and government must now return to regulate Indonesia’s economic system and practice,” said Ferry.