Djibril Muhammad, Jakarta – Indonesia has certified more than 80,000 village-based cooperatives under the Merah Putih Cooperative program, a major step toward strengthening the grassroots economy ahead of their official launch by President Prabowo Subianto next week.
Law and Human Rights Minister Supratman Andi Agtas announced the milestone on Friday, crediting the achievement to cross-agency collaboration led by the Coordinating Ministry for Food Affairs with support from the Home Affairs Ministry, the Cooperatives Ministry, police, military, and local governments.
"Heading into the official launch by the president, the Law and Human Rights Ministry, through the Directorate General of Legal Administrative Affairs (AHU), has certified 80,068 cooperatives. This is the result of joint efforts across ministries and agencies," Supratman said.
He described the Merah Putih Cooperatives as a strategic pillar supporting President Prabowo's Asta Cita program, particularly in promoting equitable and inclusive economic development across Indonesia. "These cooperatives will serve as a strong and sustainable foundation for the people's economy," Supratman added.
AHU Director General Widodo detailed that the certification process began on May 1 with the launch of a special registration service. Of the total cooperatives certified, 71,397 are new Village Merah Putih Cooperatives (KDMP), while 8,486 are new Urban Merah Putih Cooperatives (KKMP). Additionally, 141 existing cooperatives were revitalized into KDMP and 44 into KKMP structures.
"This transformation is clear evidence of our digitalization efforts in public services, accelerating the government's strategic programs to drive economic growth down to the village level," Widodo said. He noted that the digitized process has significantly sped up the certification and registration of cooperatives, supporting the government's mission to achieve more equitable national economic distribution.
The Merah Putih Cooperatives are scheduled to be officially launched by President Prabowo on July 21 in Central Java. The government hopes the program will become a backbone for building an independent, sovereign, and inclusive village economy, creating opportunities for communities to take a more active role in the country's economic transformation.