Setting up a cooperative

Setting up a cooperative

In June 2002, the employees of STIE Bisnis Indonesia agreed to set up a cooperative under the name Almatama. Having completed all the required documents, we registered the establishment with the Cooperative Office at Jl. MT Haryono, South Jakarta.

However, the head of the Cooperative Office said that to legalize the cooperative the documents had to be signed by the Jakarta governor, because Jakarta is an autonomous region.

After about six months, the head of the Cooperative Office was replaced. We were stuck in limbo and after two years our cooperative had not been legalized.

Finally, we took the documents to the Office of the State Minister for Cooperatives and we were asked to prepare a new statute and bylaw to be legalized by a notary public. In addition, we were required to make a business plan and deposit a certain amount of money in a bank.

To cut the story short, as of May 2005, despite all the requirements having been completed, our cooperative permit has not been issued. Their argument has always been: "There is a new head of the office coming in, etc."

We need an explanation regarding this matter, and about how much we have to pay to set up a cooperative that is run by employees of an educational institution.

MUHAMMAD SUHUD Jakarta