President Prabowo Inaugurates 80,000 Red and White Village Cooperatives, a Real Step Towards People’s Economic Independence
Klaten — President Prabowo Subianto officially launched more than 80,000 Red and White Village Cooperatives in Bentangan Village, Wonosari District, Klaten Regency, Central Java. This inauguration marks a significant milestone in the history of the people’s economic movement, marking the beginning of a modern, village-based cooperative system aimed at accelerating sustainable economic growth for the people.
“Today is a historic day. We are starting something big,” President Prabowo stated before hundreds of villagers who attended the inauguration. He stated that cooperatives are a means of empowering the common people, a cause long championed by the nation’s founders.
“Cooperatives are a concept for the weak. Their philosophy is like a stick: one is insignificant, but united, they become a great force. That is the spirit of mutual cooperation,” he said. Prabowo also emphasized that true independence is not merely a symbol, but rather economic independence that guarantees a decent life for all people. “Many of our people are still hungry and poor. They are not truly independent. A truly independent nation must be able to feed its own people,” he said firmly.
Continuing this grand vision, Coordinating Minister for Food, Zulkifli Hasan, stated that to date, 80,081 Red and White village/sub-district cooperatives (Kopdes) have been legally established throughout Indonesia, with 108 of them ready to operate.
“This is the birth of a new face for Indonesian cooperatives. The Red and White Village Cooperative is the starting point for a modern, effective and digital cooperative movement,” Zulkifli explained in his opening remarks. He emphasized that food independence is key to national progress. “We cannot rely on food imports. We must be sovereign, self-sufficient in food, water, and energy. We must empower our own farmers with a fair and sustainable system,” he added.
Zulkifli also explained that the cooperative will be equipped with various business units, such as a 3-kilogram LPG gas outlet, a village clinic, a rice warehouse and dryer, a savings and loan cooperative, and logistics facilities and village-based businesses. These facilities will utilize existing village assets, such as meeting halls and unused schools.
“This is just the first step. Our target is to ensure all village cooperatives are operational within the next three months. And I’m confident that in the next three to four years, new economic centers will emerge in villages. Small-scale businesses will emerge, and economic growth will be accelerated,” he concluded.
With the launch of the Red and White Village Cooperatives, the government demonstrates a serious commitment to promoting a grassroots economy. The cooperative spirit, as a form of community economic struggle, is being revived, making villages a new center of economic power in Indonesia.
