Menteri Koperasi (Menkop) Budi Arie Setiadi, on behalf of President Prabowo Subianto, delivered a message to establish “Koperasi Desa Merah Putih” (Kopdes) to combat loan sharks and middlemen. The initiative aims to fight against economic practices that burden rural communities. The directive came after a meeting at the Istana Merdeka in Jakarta on Thursday, March 27, 2025. Deputy Minister of Cooperatives Feri Juliantono was also present.
Presidential Directive
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Objective: The main goal of Kopdes Merah Putih is to eradicate loan sharks, middlemen, and illegal online loan providers that exploit rural populations.
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Urgency: President Prabowo instructed that 80,000 Kopdes branches should be established within the year to address extreme poverty and empower farmers and rural residents.
Budi emphasized the high enthusiasm among villagers for this initiative. By the end of June 2025, it is hoped that these cooperative units will be operational across various villages, each established through the village deliberative mechanism. Budi reiterated that Kopdes Merah Putih belongs to the villagers and urged for swift institutional setup.
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