Minister Muhaimin: Village Cooperatives are an Important Instrument for Empowering Rural Communities

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment, Abdul Muhaimin Iskandar, stated that village cooperatives are an important instrument in strengthening community empowerment and achieving economic independence for villages.

“The empowerment program through the previously established Merah Putih Village Cooperatives has also contributed to efforts to alleviate poverty and eliminate extreme poverty,” said Coordinating Minister Muhaimin Iskandar in a statement in Jakarta on Saturday.

He made these remarks while attending the inauguration of the operational launch of 1,061 Merah Putih Village/Urban Cooperatives (KDKMP), which was directly inaugurated by President Prabowo Subianto in Nglawak Village, Kertosono, Nganjuk, East Java.

According to him, cooperatives should be a space for economic mutual assistance that strengthens small businesses, MSMEs, and village communities sustainably.

Village cooperatives will become centers for providing economic services to village communities by supplying various basic necessities and affordable public services.

In the future, village cooperatives will provide sales of staple foods, subsidized fertilizers, subsidized gas cylinders, postal services, distribution of government assistance, and even affordable pharmacies for the community.

In addition, the government will also present financial and low-cost credit services through financial institution outlets in village cooperatives to strengthen access to finance for the community.

“With these cooperatives, I believe our growth will be real and increasingly advanced. Every village will no longer depend on others; everything will be independent,” said Prabowo Subianto.

The government hopes that the presence of Merah Putih Village/Urban Cooperatives can accelerate economic equality, strengthen village resilience, and also become a foundation for national economic growth based on community participation.