Prabowo: KDKMP to be village economic centres and main subsidy distributors

President Prabowo Subianto has stated that the Koperasi Desa Kelurahan Merah Putih (KDKMP) is directed to become the village economic centre and the main distributor of subsidies provided by the government to people in need. Speaking at the peak event of the 79th National Cooperative Day commemoration at Indonesia Arena, Jakarta, on Sunday, President Prabowo reiterated the objectives behind the formation of the Koperasi Desa Kelurahan Merah Putih and the services it will provide to the community. “The KDKMP will later become an integrated village economic service centre. Inside, there will be a cooperative office, a basic necessities shop, savings and loan services, and a village pharmacy. We will open pharmacies in the villages. The medicines will be generic drugs, which are much cheaper than those in city pharmacies. There will be village logistics, a warehouse, and cold storage so that farmers’ produce does not spoil, along with various other economic services,” President Prabowo Subianto said before cooperative activists from various regions across Indonesia at the event. On the same occasion, President Prabowo also explained that rural communities, including those whose main profession is farming, have limited access to financing and often fall into debt with loan sharks to meet living expenses during the planting season. Therefore, the President stressed that every village must have a cooperative that provides savings and loan services with low interest rates. “Our people must have the opportunity to borrow money at low interest. The answer is that there must be a savings and loan cooperative in every village throughout the Republic of Indonesia,” the President stated. Consequently, the President is optimistic that if every village has a savings and loan cooperative, it will break the cycle of loan sharks who burden farmers and other rural residents. Furthermore, President Prabowo stated that the KDKMP will become the main distributor of subsidies. “All subsidised goods must be distributed to the people through the Koperasi Desa Merah Putih. It is mandatory! I say this is mandatory! Subsidised goods for the people must not be traded, so that those who need them are the ones who receive them,” Prabowo said.