President Prabowo Launches 80,081 ‘Koperasi Merah Putih’ to Boost Rural Economy

President Prabowo Subianto officially launched 80,081 Village/Sub-district “Koperasi Merah Putih” (KDMP/KKMP) cooperatives on Monday, July 21, 2025, in a major initiative aimed at empowering Indonesia’s rural economy. The inauguration ceremony was held at the Koperasi Desa Merah Putih Bentangan in Wonosari District, Klaten Regency.

During the event, President Prabowo symbolically presented the official Cooperative Legal Entity Decrees to five representative chairpersons: Bambang Gunarsa (KDMP Bentangan, Klaten), Jamaluddin Adiwijaya (KDMP Sumbung, Boyolali), Parni (KDMP Karangdowo, Klaten), Sumanto (KKMP Banyuanyar, Surakarta), and Rizka Hidayati (KDMP Ceper, Klaten).

Coordinating Minister for Food and Head of the KDMP National Task Force, Zulkifli Hasan, reported that the launch is part of a grand movement to build a modern rural economic ecosystem that sides with the common people.

“Today, we are birthing a new face for Indonesian cooperatives: the Koperasi Desa or Kelurahan Merah Putih,” said Zulkifli Hasan. “This cooperative will not only serve as a hub for production and distribution but also aims to cut supply chains, eradicate middlemen and moneylenders, and empower farmers, fishermen, and rural economic actors based on the principles of mutual cooperation and kinship—a people’s economy repeatedly emphasized by the President.”

In his address, President Prabowo affirmed that cooperatives are a tool for the struggle of ordinary people to become economically strong. He stressed that the launch of 80,081 cooperatives is a strategic national movement to break the economic dominance of large parties that have hindered the progress of the people.

“Today we are launching the institution of 80,000 Village and Sub-district Koperasi Merah Putih, 80,081 to be exact. This is indeed a historic day. We are starting a large, strategic endeavor,” President Prabowo stated.

The President added that the initiative extends beyond legal status, with the government planning to support the cooperatives with tangible infrastructure such as warehouses, cold storage facilities, grocery stores, pharmacies, and logistics vehicles. Furthermore, super micro-loan facilities will be available to ease the distribution of goods and stimulate the rural economy.

The launch was officially marked by President Prabowo pressing a siren button, symbolizing the start of the Koperasi Merah Putih movement to achieve economic independence for the Indonesian people.

Also in attendance were high-ranking officials, including the Speaker of the House of Representatives Puan Maharani, Chairman of the Regional Representative Council Sultan Bachtiar Najamudin, Deputy Speaker of the People’s Consultative Assembly Bambang Wuryanto, several Merah Putih Cabinet Ministers, and the Governor of Central Java, Ahmad Lutfi.