Dekopin Vows to Realise President's Mandate for Cooperatives as Engine of People's Economy at National Cooperative Day
The Indonesian Cooperative Council (Dekopin) successfully held the peak celebration of the 79th National Cooperative Day (Harkopnas) 2026 at the national level at Indonesia Arena, Gelora Bung Karno, Jakarta, on Sunday (12/7/2026). The event was attended directly by the President of the Republic of Indonesia, General TNI (Ret.) H. Prabowo Subianto, who affirmed the government’s strong commitment to strengthening the foundations of the national economy from the very bottom. President Prabowo called for a total revival of the cooperative movement as a mighty, solid and independent economic force, like a broom made of palm ribs.
“Cooperatives are the tool of the weak. But, like a palm-rib broom, a single rib is weak, but when joined together, that is strength, my brothers and sisters. Do not worry, the Indonesian cooperative movement will rise to become a force of the Indonesian economy! An economic force that will not allow money to flee from Indonesia,” said President Prabowo before thousands of cooperative administrators and activists.
Dekopin Chairman General Bambang Haryadi regarded the Head of State’s presence as a sacred turning point after nearly three decades in which the cooperative movement received little attention commensurate with the mandate of Article 33 Paragraph (1) of the 1945 Constitution. “Only under your government, Sir, has the cooperative movement received attention and become a priority programme for strengthening the people’s economy,” said Bambang.
Bambang also debunked mistaken assumptions about cooperatives. “The long-standing stigma that cooperatives are an outdated and small-scale economic tool is utterly irrelevant and profoundly mistaken. We point to major football clubs in Europe such as Real Madrid, Barcelona and Bayern Munich, which are run on a cooperative system. Even one of the largest banks in the Netherlands, Rabobank, is owned by a cooperative. That is why we are confident cooperatives will rise again under your leadership, Sir,” he said.
Dekopin Secretary General and event chairman Gilang Widya expressed pride in the success of the peak celebration, citing the synergy between Dekopin and the Ministry of Cooperatives. Gilang added that the future of cooperatives lies in the hands of the younger generation. Dekopin is therefore fully committed to attracting Gen Z to become active in cooperatives through approaches that are modern, digital and relevant to their lifestyles. This spirit was demonstrated at the peak event through a dedicated Gen Z Cooperative booth showcasing various digital-based creative business innovations by young people. Dekopin wants to change perceptions and prove to the young generation that cooperatives are the coolest, most adaptive and globally competitive vehicle for economic collaboration.
“The presence of the President, Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly Ahmad Muzani, Speaker of the Regional Representative Council Sultan Bachtiar Najamudin, and the Red-and-White Cabinet was an extraordinary injection of energy for us. The success of this event at Indonesia Arena is also tangible proof that Dekopin and the cooperative movement are inclusive and capable of strategic collaboration with anyone, including large-scale corporate players. We greatly appreciate the full support of leading state-owned enterprises such as Bank Mandiri, BSI, BRI, BTN, BNI, Pupuk Indonesia, PLN, Pertamina, MIND ID and ANTAM. This is concrete upstream-downstream synergy to build the nation’s economy,” said Gilang Widya.
The series of events marking the 79th National Cooperative Day is being staged on a massive scale throughout July 2026. After opening with a pilgrimage to the grave of the Father of Indonesian Cooperatives, Bung Hatta, in Tanah Kusir, the festivities will continue on 19 July with a fun run and bazaar on Jalan Rasuna Said, Jakarta. At the end of July, Dekopin and the Ministry of Cooperatives will also carry out a project to revitalise the historic cooperative monument in Tasikmalaya as a cultural heritage site, and close the entire series on 29 July with the Cooperative Awards in Jakarta.
Through this historic momentum, Dekopin is optimistic that with the ratification of a new Cooperatives Law this year to replace Law Number 25 of 1992, the cooperative movement will have a solid legal umbrella to bring equitable prosperity to all the people of Indonesia.