Visiting Bung Hatta's Grave, Dekopin Commits to Cooperative Modernisation Through Young Generation Succession

Welcoming the 79th National Cooperative Day (Harkopnas) commemoration, the central board of the Indonesian Cooperative Council (Dekopin) conducted a pilgrimage to the grave of Proclamation figure and Father of Indonesian Cooperatives, Mohammad Hatta, at Tanah Kusir Public Cemetery, South Jakarta. The reflective activity was led directly by Dekopin’s leadership as a form of deep respect for the legacy of populist economic thought. The pilgrimage was not merely an annual ritual, but a momentum for the cooperative movement to trace the struggle and strengthen national commitment. At Bung Hatta’s resting place, the Dekopin family offered prayers and reflected on the noble ideals of a mutual cooperation-based economy that forms a pillar of social justice for all Indonesians. On this occasion, Dekopin Secretary General Gilang Widya Pramana provided a strategic outlook on the future of cooperatives in the digital era. The man familiarly known as Juragan 99 stressed that the key to the sustainability of the people’s economy today lies in the hands of Generation Z. As a concrete step, Dekopin has a programme to select Gen Z Brand Ambassadors to recruit talented young representatives from across Indonesia. ‘Bung Hatta founded cooperatives with a highly progressive vision of togetherness. Our task now is to translate that vision into the language and lifestyle of today’s youth. Gen Z has high creativity, is adaptive to technology, and possesses strong social awareness. Through this Brand Ambassador selection, we aim to find young icons who can bring cooperatives into the digital ecosystem and inspire their generation,’ said Gilang. The Secretary General further asserted that Dekopin is fully committed to rejuvenating the image of cooperatives so they are no longer perceived as outdated financial institutions or merely the concern of the older generation. Modern cooperatives must transform into the primary business platform of choice for young entrepreneurs through technological innovation. The pilgrimage was also attended by finalists of the Dekopin Gen Z Brand Ambassador programme, including Ridwan Sahroni. The finalist, active on social media via the account @readonesahroni_31, expressed his pride and commitment after tracing the steps of Bung Hatta. ‘Standing here at Bung Hatta’s grave makes me realise that the cooperative value of mutual cooperation is highly relevant to the collaborative spirit of Gen Z today. As a Brand Ambassador finalist, our task is not just to be the face of the organisation, but to be a bridge of information. We are ready to package these noble cooperative values into creative, relevant, and inclusive digital content so that young people realise that cooperatives are a pillar of their economic future,’ he said. Through the momentum of this year’s National Cooperative Day, Dekopin invites all elements of the nation, especially the younger generation, to look again at cooperatives not just as a pillar of the past economy, but as a foundation for shared prosperity in the future. The peak celebration of the 79th National Cooperative Day will be held on 12 July 2026 at the Indonesia Arena, Gelora Bung Karno, Jakarta, and is planned to be attended by President Prabowo Subianto, Minister of Cooperatives Ferry Juliantono, and Chairman of Dekopin Bambang Haryadi.