The Role of Village Heads is Crucial for the Operations of Kopdes/Kel Merah Putih

According to Ferry, the support of village heads through Special Village Deliberations (Musdesus) is the key factor behind the legality of tens of thousands of village cooperatives in a short time. “Without the support of the village heads, it would be impossible to hold these special village deliberations in every village across Indonesia,” said Ferry in a written statement on Monday (11/5/2026). This was conveyed by Ferry during his speech at the II National Conference (Munas) of the Central Executive Board of PAPDESI in Jakarta on Monday (11/5). Ferry stressed that the government’s success in forming 83,000 legally recognised cooperative entities is inseparable from the swift actions of village officials at the grassroots level. Musdesus serves as the legal gateway ensuring that each cooperative has a strong legal foundation from the Ministry of Law and Human Rights (Kemenkum). The establishment of KDKMP, according to Ferry, is a direct mandate from President Prabowo Subianto to realise the aspirations of the nation’s founders. Ferry described this idea as an ‘inspiration’ flowing from the thoughts of cooperative figures such as Prof Sumitro Djojohadikusumo and Margono Djojohadikusumo. “The President is very keen for the aspirations of the Republic’s founders to be realised during his leadership period,” said Ferry. Cooperatives are expected to once again become the mainstay of the national economy, structured on the basis of familial principles. Currently, KDKMP has entered the physical construction phase of warehouses and outlets, numbering in the tens of thousands across Indonesia. This construction is also supported by TNI infrastructure through strategic cooperation. In closing his speech, Ferry once again entrusted a message to the village heads to maintain solidarity as they enter the most decisive phase, namely the operational stage. “We hope for unity with the village heads so that these cooperatives truly benefit their members, namely the village communities,” said Ferry. Meanwhile, the General Chair (Ketum) of the Central Executive Board of PAPDESI, Wargiyati, affirmed the efforts of all village apparatus ranks to fully support the continuity of the government’s development programme. Wargiyati expressed appreciation for the significant attention given by the central government to the village apparatus organisation. According to Wargiyati, support from various ministries and institutions serves as motivation for village heads in the regions. Wargiyati urged PAPDESI members to maintain solidarity and alignment with central government policies. “PAPDESI must stand firmly with the government and support development programmes for the welfare of village communities,” said Wargiyati.