Zulhas Reveals Scheme for Kopdes Managers: BUMN Employees from Two Years Ago to Become Cooperative Staff

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Managers of the Merah Putih Village Cooperative (Kopdes) are said to hold the status of employees of a State-Owned Enterprise (BUMN) for two years. Coordinating Minister for Food Affairs Zulkifli Hasan (Zulhas) stated that they will be registered as employees of the BUMN company PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara. “After two years, they will become cooperative staff,” said Zulhas after leading a meeting at the Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs office in Jakarta on Monday (4/5/2026). The government is opening recruitment for 30,000 positions as prospective Merah Putih Kopdes Managers and 5,476 managers and administrators of Merah Putih Fishermen’s Villages (KNMP). They must also not be participating in the selection for Government Employees with Work Agreements (PPPK). “So this is BUMN employees, of course, the scheme will follow that of BUMN,” said Rini. Meanwhile, Deputy Head of the BUMN Management Agency Tedi Bharata stated that after the Merah Putih Kopdes Managers have worked for two years, their performance will be evaluated. PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara and Kopdes Merah Putih require employees with entrepreneurial abilities. “They will be trained first, then subsequently become cooperative managers who should be able to utilise this experience well; we will see later,” said Tedi. Zulhas declined to explain the source of funds used for the salaries of Merah Putih Kopdes Managers while they hold BUMN employee status. Zulhas mentioned that because the Merah Putih Kopdes Managers are under the auspices of PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara, they will be paid by that state-owned company. “But where the money comes from, of course, the next scheme will be explained,” said Zulhas. Meanwhile, Rini stated that the source of salaries for Merah Putih Kopdes Managers will follow the scheme applicable in BUMN. “BUMN employees will of course follow the BUMN scheme,” said Rini.