President Prabowo Subianto is scheduled to inaugurate the Koperasi Desa/Kelurahan Merah Putih (Village/Urban Cooperative “Merah Putih”) on July 21, 2025. This initiative is a key component of the President’s sixth Asta Cita (Visionary Aspiration) aimed at rejuvenating local economies and addressing poverty at the village level. Hasan Nasbi, Head of Presidential Communications, outlined the three core strategies known as the “trident of poverty eradication” introduced under President Prabowo’s leadership. These strategies include health, education, and socio-economic development, represented by concrete government programs such as the Free Health Check Program in Schools, the People’s School, and the Kopdes Merah Putih. The Kopdes Merah Putih program, mandated through Presidential Instruction No. 9 of 2025, strives to uplift the national economy beginning at the village level to combat inequality and uplift communities from poverty. In partnership with various ministries, national agencies, governors, mayors, regents, and village heads nationwide, the program aims to tackle poverty as a barrier to essential services access, education, healthcare, and infrastructure. Adita Irawati, a Senior Expert at the Presidential Communication Office (PCO), revealed plans to officially launch 80,000 Kopdes Merah Putih institutions on July 21 with 103 cooperatives identified as model prototypes. These cooperatives will serve as proof-of-concept for the program’s success and are expected to be replicated across other villages. This inclusive and community-driven approach aims to strengthen rural economies, enhance food security, and reduce poverty by eliminating illegal lending operations and promoting local businesses. By empowering farmers and cutting out exploitative intermediaries, the program supports shorter supply chains, lower consumer prices, and improved access to resources and services in rural areas. The three main strategies involve establishing new cooperatives, expanding existing ones, and revitalizing underperforming cooperatives, with essential facilities like cooperative offices, food outlets, savings and loan units, rural clinics and pharmacies, cold storage, and logistics hubs to provide affordable goods, healthcare, loans, and efficient logistics.
Kopdes Merah Putih: Prabowo’s Engine for Village Economies
