Minister Yandri Mandates Village Cooperatives Hire Locally
Minister of Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions (Mendes PDT), Yandri Susanto, has asked the public to be patient while waiting for the success of the Merah Putih Village Cooperatives (KDMP), which are currently under construction in various regions. He noted that changes in state financial governance are also affecting village funds. “So now critics are asking for this government policy to succeed, but it is not yet complete; we are still in the stage of building outlets and warehouses,” Yandri said during a meeting with sub-district heads, village chiefs, and ward heads across East Flores at the KDMP in Weri Ward on Friday (3/7/2026).
He stressed that the KDMP will absorb a significant amount of labour from the villages or wards. He urged anyone to report if a village hires workers from outside its area. “If there are workers from outside, report it to the Ministry of Villages. We will definitely correct it, except for the manager, who is a professional and fully responsible. Cashiers, security guards, and shop assistants must come from the village. At the very least, this provides jobs for the village,” he explained.
Yandri acknowledged that President Prabowo Subianto’s priority programmes, such as the KDMP and the Free Nutritious Meals (MBG) scheme, have various shortcomings. However, he assured that these deficiencies will be addressed. “I liken it to a durian tree with 100 fruits; maybe one or two are rotten. It is the rotten fruit that is discarded, not the tree that is cut down. If there is corruption in the MBG programme, it is not the MBG programme that should be axed,” he elaborated.
Yandri also stated that the MBG programme must source products from villages, or it will face sanctions. The Ministry of Villages currently has 50 export destination countries, including Canada, France, the United Kingdom, South Africa, China, and the Netherlands. “Our target is 2,000 to 5,000 exporting villages. We can help with machinery, packaging, and destination countries. Currently, there are only 338 exporting villages with a transaction value of Rp1 trillion,” he said.
Meanwhile, Deputy Governor of East Nusa Tenggara, Jhoni Asadoma, stated that villages should not be seen as the backyard but rather the front yard of development. “The provincial government views each village as having its own strengths. Some excel in agriculture, some in livestock, and others in tourism,” he said. The East Nusa Tenggara Provincial Government will provide phased intervention assistance of Rp100 million per village, especially to those in dire need. “We do not want villages to be merely producers of raw materials but to become production centres and new hubs of economic growth. The success of village development is determined not only by village funds but also by leadership. Village funds will lead to progress if managed honestly and transparently,” he concluded.
East Flores Regent Antonius Doni Dihen said the opportunity to meet the Minister was used to convey the aspirations of the people of East Flores. “There are 229 villages and 21 wards. Our Developing Village Index (IDM) achievement in East Flores is quite good. There are 59 self-sufficient villages, 75 advanced villages, and 65 developing villages,” he stated. “So there are no underdeveloped villages. However, the poverty rate is 29,000 people, equivalent to 10.88 percent. This means on average, each village has 100 poor people. Stunting affects 2,637 children, meaning on average each village has 10 stunted children. I want to juxtapose the Developing Village Index with poverty. Also, the cuts to village funds are making it hard for us to breathe,” he stressed.