KSP: Villages must become new centres of economic growth

Presidential Chief of Staff Dudung Abdurachman has asserted that villages must become new centres of economic growth by facilitating their development, from infrastructure to a mutual cooperation-based economic system through cooperatives. “Villages must also be viewed as new centres of economic growth. In addition to natural resource potential, the main strength of villages lies in social capital such as the culture of mutual cooperation, deliberation, solidarity, and mutual trust that have become the character of the community,” Dudung said in a written statement in Jakarta on Monday. Speaking at the inauguration of the Central Board of the All-Indonesia Village Consultative Body Association (PABPDSI) in Purwakarta on Monday, Dudung stated that village development is a crucial part of implementing President Prabowo Subianto’s Astacita mission, particularly the sixth Astacita which emphasises development from the village and from the grassroots level to achieve economic equality and poverty eradication. Dudung, who also serves as Chairman of the PP PABPDSI Advisory Board, explained that the Presidential Staff Office is tasked with assisting the President in ensuring the smooth implementation of priority programmes by overseeing the execution of various strategic policies. “Indonesia’s future is largely determined by the progress of the 75,000 villages that serve as the living space for the majority of Indonesian society,” he said. On the occasion, Dudung also stressed the importance of the role of the Village Consultative Body (BPD) in village governance, as it holds a strategic position to oversee the implementation of government priority programmes at the village level. “Hopefully, PABPDSI and IKA PABPDSI will oversee and supervise from the village level so that the village programmes implemented will be increasingly successful and advanced towards a Golden Indonesia 2045,” Dudung remarked. The inauguration of the PABPDSI Central Board for the 2026-2032 term at Pasanggrahan Pajajaran Square, Purwakarta, was also attended by Minister of Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions Yandri Susanto, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Akhmad Wiyagus, Deputy Minister of Cooperatives Farida Farichah, and Purwakarta Regent Saepul Bahri Binzein.