Cooperative Ministry: Military Training for Kopdes Managers to Continue
The Ministry of Cooperatives has confirmed that the Basic Military Training (Latsarmil) programme for prospective managers of the Merah Putih Village/Sub-district Cooperatives will continue despite several participants dying while undergoing education at Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) units. The government stated that an evaluation of the incident will be carried out without stopping the implementation of the programme.
According to the Deputy for Talent Development and Competitiveness at the Ministry of Cooperatives, Destry Anna Sari, the evaluation will be conducted in parallel with the ongoing Sarjana Penggerak Pembangunan Indonesia (SPPI) Programme. She said the National Selection Committee (Panselnas), comprising several ministries and agencies, is currently reviewing all aspects of the programme’s implementation to ensure participant safety.
“The Ministry of Cooperatives understands the public’s concern regarding the safety of programme participants. Therefore, the National Selection Committee is currently conducting a thorough evaluation of all aspects of the SPPI programme implementation,” Destry said when contacted on Thursday, 25 June 2026.
The evaluation will cover the participant selection process, the implementation of education, health monitoring mechanisms, and risk mitigation measures during the activities. Destry stated that the results of the evaluation will serve as the basis for policy improvements to strengthen the programme’s implementation procedures in the next period.
“Every input and lesson learned from the programme’s implementation will form the basis for future policy refinement so that the programme can run better, safer, more professionally, and accountably,” she said.
The Ministry of Cooperatives also expressed its condolences over the deaths of three SPPI participants for the Merah Putih Village/Sub-district Cooperatives who were undergoing Latsarmil. The ministry stated it has provided support to the families of the victims and ensured that all handling processes were carried out in accordance with applicable procedures.
Nevertheless, Destry claimed that the participants in the programme had passed the selection mechanism set by the government. Before undergoing education, they also underwent health checks and were declared fit to participate in the series of activities.
“The Ministry of Cooperatives also provides support to the families of the participants and ensures the handling process is carried out according to applicable procedures,” she said.
Previously, three prospective managers of the Merah Putih Village Cooperatives and the Merah Putih Fishing Village Cooperatives were declared dead while attending basic military training for the reserve component. The three were named Novia Rahmadhani Sihotang, Anisa Muyassaroh, and Yonanda Muhammad Taufiq.
Novita attended basic reserve command military training at the Language Centre of the Doctrine Development, Education, and Training Command of the Indonesian Air Force in Jakarta. She died on Tuesday, 23 June 2026, on the sixth day after training began on 17 June 2026.
Meanwhile, Anisa died on 18 June 2026 due to heat stroke while attending military training at the Education Unit of the Mulawarman Regional Military Command Main Regiment in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan. Yonanda was declared dead due to cardiac arrest on 17 June 2026. He was recorded as attending training at the Education Unit of the Indonesian Army Combat Training Centre in Baturaja City, Ogan Komering Ulu Regency, South Sumatra.