Minister Claims Fewer Than 10 'Bizarre' Locations for Red and White Village Co-ops

Minister of Cooperatives Ferry Juliantono has stated that public reports regarding the unsuitable locations of Red and White Village Cooperatives (Kopdes Merah Putih) are very few in number. ‘I have counted all the inputs from the public and social media, and the number is less than 10 out of the 30,000 being built,’ Ferry said during a press conference in Jakarta on Thursday, 2 July 2026. The statement was made in response to viral social media videos showing several Kopdes Merah Putih in less strategic locations. Some posts showed cooperatives built on hillsides, facing paddy fields, adjacent to other cooperatives, or near cemeteries. According to Ferry, these findings only occurred in a very small fraction of locations and do not reflect the overall implementation of the Kopdes Merah Putih development programme. Nevertheless, the government will follow up on every report through a verification and validation process before determining the next steps. He explained that the locations for Kopdes Merah Putih are determined based on deliberations between the village community and the village government. If the verification results show that a location is indeed unsuitable, the government will re-engage in discussions with the community and the village head to find a solution. ‘We will think about it and find a solution if it is deemed unsuitable,’ he said. When asked about the possibility of relocation, Ferry emphasised that the government has not yet made a decision as it is still awaiting verification results involving relevant ministries, agencies, and local governments. ‘We will think about it and find a solution. But there is a verification and validation process involving the government and other institutions. We will return to deliberations with the village community and the village head,’ he stated. Ferry added that the construction of Kopdes Merah Putih is ongoing. According to the Simkopdes dashboard as of 2 July 2026, out of 35,000 verified cooperative outlet locations, 20,000 units are still under construction, while approximately 14,000 units have been fully completed.