“A single twig is weak and meaningless. But when tens, hundreds of twigs are bound together, they become a tool that can support us,” he said at the launch of 80 thousand Red and White Village Cooperatives (Kopdes/Kopkel Merah Putih) in Bentangan village, Wonosari district, Klaten, Central Java, on Monday.
“From weakness comes strength. That is the essence of cooperatives,” he added.
He emphasized that cooperatives are rooted in a mutual cooperation model that has a long history. However, cooperative movements are often unwelcome by large capital holders, who often see them as potential competitors, he noted.
“These are certain countries in this world that do not want to see new rising nation. This is a human issue, a geopolitical issue, an issue of hegemony,” he added.
The President stressed that as long as people continue to suffer from hunger and poverty, true independence cannot be said to be achieved. He said he believes that cooperatives can be strategic tools to build sovereignty and independence, particularly in the economic sector.
“A truly independent country is one that can feed its people. A free nation is one that guarantees a decent life for all its citizens,” he added.
So far, 81,140 Merah Putih Village Cooperatives have been established across Indonesia, of which 80,081 have obtained legal status.
The village cooperatives program is aimed at building a grassroots economy at the village and urban levels to promote equity and bring communities out of poverty.
Thirteen ministries and two national agencies are helping implement the program, alongside governors, mayors, regents, and village heads.
In addition to the cooperatives established so far, the government has prepared 108 pilot cooperatives, which are expected to serve as models for other regions.
The pilot units will have access to People’s Business Credit (KUR) through state-owned banks from July 22, 2025.
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Translator: Fathur Rochman, Kuntum Khaira Riswan
Editor: Azis Kurmala
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