The Origin of Restrictions on Minimarkets to Support Village Economies Through Village Cooperatives
JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - The idea of restricting minimarkets such as Alfamart and Indomaret has emerged alongside the government’s efforts to establish Village Cooperatives (Kopdes) Merah Putih.
These modern retailers are being asked to halt their expansion into villages in order to protect the village economy.
The discussion regarding the halting of minimarket expansion was raised by the Chairman of Commission V of the DPR, Lasarus, and the Minister of Village and Transmigration Development (Mendes PDT), Yandri Susanto, during a meeting at the DPR Building, Senayan, Jakarta, on 12 November 2025.
Initially, Yandri stated that the Kopdes Merah Putih would be a bright spot in the villages.
Yandri assured that Kopdes Merah Putih could provide complete needs for the community, just like Alfamart and Indomaret.
“So, this Kopdes will have a complete range of products. It won’t just be fertilizer, basic necessities, or LPG, but it will also have the kinds of products you find in Alfamart,” said Yandri.
He mentioned that the Ministry of Village is formulating regulations to find the best formula together with the Minister of Cooperatives, the Minister of Finance, and the Minister of Home Affairs.
This PAN politician emphasised that wealth should not be controlled by only a few people. Yandri then proposed the idea of stopping minimarket expansion in villages.
“Therefore, this Kopdes is a strategic national program, and I think it is one of the keys to ensuring that economic services are not controlled by a few people. And I agree with that; if necessary, we should stop the construction of Alfamart and Indomaret from today onwards, so that it gives the people in the villages the opportunity to open up as many business opportunities as possible regarding the supply chain,” he said.
Therefore, Lasarus asked that the village community give as much space and opportunity as possible. He asked that large entrepreneurs no longer enter the villages.
“We must open up space and opportunities for the village community. What they can do, what they can undertake, the big players don’t need to enter,” said Lasarus. “In my opinion, that is the principle, Mr. Minister. It is a very important principle.”
Lasarus then gave an example of a conversation he had with a regional head from the PDI-P who approved permits for minimarkets in villages.
“I’ll give you an example; we are both from the same party. I am the Chairman of the DPD, and the Chairman of the DPD is definitely a regent, mayor, or governor. I asked the regent, ‘I see that there are no Alfamart or Indomaret in your area.’ He said, ‘I don’t allow it, Mr. Chairman.’
“Then, when the election was approaching, I saw that (the minimarkets) were being built, and I said, ‘You didn’t allow it before. Why are Alfamart and Indomaret being built now?’ He just smiled at me. I understood his smile. The barrier had been broken. That’s what I meant earlier. The defence had been successfully breached. That’s more or less what happened. It requires permission from the regional head,” he continued.
Lasarus emphasised that the challenge of stopping minimarket expansion in villages is not easy, as seen in the example above.