Menteri Koperasi (Menkop) Budi Arie Setiadi, on behalf of President Prabowo Subianto, delivered a directive to establish the “Koperasi Desa Merah Putih” (Kopdes) to combat loan sharks and middlemen. The initiative aims to fight against economic practices that burden rural communities.
Presidential Directive
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Objective: The establishment of 80,000 Kopdes Merah Putih by the end of the year to eradicate loan sharks, middlemen, and abusive online loan practices.
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Focus: Combating economic exploitation to alleviate rural poverty and empower farmers and rural residents.
High Rural Enthusiasm
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Community Support: Rural communities show great enthusiasm towards this initiative, viewing Kopdes Merah Putih as a tangible solution.
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Timeline: The target is to have the 80,000 cooperatives operational across various villages by the end of June 2025.
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Ownership: Emphasis is placed on the fact that Kopdes Merah Putih belongs to the villagers, established through the village deliberative mechanism.
Budi Arie Setiadi shared these directives after attending a meeting at Istana Merdeka, Jakarta, on Thursday, March 27, 2025. Wamen Koperasi (Deputy Minister of Cooperatives) Feri Juliantono was also present at the meeting.