Transparency is the Key to the Success of the Red and White Cooperative: Supervision Strategy in the Centralistic Era

Jakarta – The government continues to demonstrate its commitment to encouraging village economic transformation through the national Red and White Village Cooperative program, as mandated in Presidential Instruction Number 9 of 2025. This program is an important milestone in equitable development with a target of establishing 80,000 cooperatives in villages and sub-districts throughout Indonesia by July 2025, accompanied by state funding support of up to IDR 5 billion per cooperative.

In facing the challenges of a centralized bureaucratic system, the government is strengthening its transparency and accountability-based monitoring strategy. This commitment was directly emphasized by the President of the Republic of Indonesia, Prabowo Subianto, who stated that the success of the program is highly dependent on the active participation of village communities and clean cooperative management.

“This is an empowerment movement. We want villages to become centers of inclusive and sustainable growth,” President Prabowo Subianto said.

The government is paying serious attention to modern and professional cooperative governance. Minister of Cooperatives, Budi Arie Setiadi emphasized the importance of openness as the main key.

“Transparency is not just a slogan, but the foundation of the success of village cooperatives. Accountable management will build community trust,” said Budi Arie Setiadi.

In supporting the effectiveness of the program, the government integrates technological innovation through the Smart Village platform which provides a digital financial recording system, stock management, and online marketing. This not only accelerates the performance of cooperatives but also becomes an efficient digital monitoring tool.

Other concrete steps are shown through seven strategic mandates, including national training, acceleration of cooperative legality, and regular reporting directly to the President. This shows that the government ensures comprehensive and accountable supervision, so that no public funds are misused.

The implementation in the field is also very encouraging. In Pinrang Regency, South Sulawesi, as many as 69 villages have committed to forming cooperatives before the end of April. In fact, the local government provides a legality fee subsidy of Rp1.5 million per cooperative, showing the seriousness of synergy between levels of government.

Full support also came from the Coordinating Minister for Food, Zulkifli Hasan, who emphasized the importance of local ownership in cooperatives.

“This cooperative belongs to the villagers. It’s not like the old KUD. It can save, borrow, and distribute government programs directly,” said Zulkifli Hasan.

The success of the Red and White Cooperative is the result of great synergy between the central government, local governments, state-owned enterprises, the business world, academics, and village communities. With a spirit of mutual cooperation and strong supervision, this program will become the backbone of an independent, transparent, and highly competitive village economy.

The government has proven that with transparency, technology, and cross-sector collaboration, village economic transformation can be realized in real terms. The success of the Red and White Cooperative is a symbol of the revival of the people’s economy in the era of President Prabowo Subianto’s government which is full of breakthroughs and siding with villages. {^}