Defence Ministry Speaks on Training Costs for Red and White Village Cooperative Managers
The Ministry of Defence has stated that the financing for the basic military training of prospective managers of the Red and White Village Cooperatives (Kopdes Merah Putih) follows the same budget standards as the education and training for the Reserve Component (Komcad). However, the ministry did not reveal the specific amount of funds used for the programme.
Head of the Defence Information Bureau at the Ministry of Defence’s Secretariat General, Brigadier General Rico Ricardo Sirait, said the training for participants of the Sarjana Penggerak Pembangunan Indonesia (SPPI) programme is conducted with reference to the applicable Reserve Component education and training budget standards.
Rico added that funding for the activities does not solely come from the Ministry of Defence. The Ministry of Cooperatives and the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries are also involved in financing the programme according to their respective fields. The Ministry of Cooperatives funds the managerial training for prospective Kopdes Merah Putih managers, while the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries supports managerial training for participants of the Red and White Fishermen’s Village programme.
Rico declined to provide details on the budget allocated by each ministry. “For the detailed budget amounts of each programme, it is best to confirm with the ministry or agency responsible for the relevant budget,” he said.
The government has mandated that all prospective managers of the Kopdes Merah Putih and Kampung Nelayan Merah Putih undergo the SPPI training. The first wave, held from 17 June to 31 July 2026, involves 35,476 participants, comprising 30,000 prospective cooperative managers and 5,476 prospective fishing village managers. The basic military training is being conducted across 67 military units nationwide. Rico explained that the participants will receive basic military reserve component training, combined with managerial and competency training tailored to the needs of cooperative and fishing village management. He stated that the military training aims to instil the values of state defence in the prospective managers, as mandated by Law Number 23 of 2019 on the Management of National Resources for State Defence. The basic military and state defence training will last for the first 30 days, followed by 15 days of managerial training.