President Prabowo Subianto has officially inaugurated 1,061 Merah Putih Village/Sub-district Cooperatives (KDMP), marking their operational launch across various regions of Indonesia. The significant ceremony, central to the nation’s rural economic development, took place in Nglawak Village, Kertosono District, Nganjuk Regency, East Java, on Saturday, May 16, 2026.
The inauguration was attended by a host of distinguished officials from the Red and White Cabinet, underscoring the government’s strong commitment to the initiative. Among those present were Social Minister Saifullah Yusuf (Gus Ipul), Coordinating Minister for Food Zulkifli Hasan, Minister of Cooperatives Ferry Juliantono, Coordinating Minister for Community Empowerment Muhaimin Iskandar, Home Affairs Minister Tito Karnavian, and Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa. Their presence was complemented by heads of various agencies and institutions, members of the DPR and DPD, local regents and mayors, and numerous village heads, highlighting a comprehensive, multi-level government effort.
In his address, President Prabowo lauded the remarkable speed of the KDMP’s establishment, noting that the entire process, from conceptualization to the completion of physical structures, took less than one year. The physical construction phase, a monumental undertaking, commenced in November 2025 and concluded in May 2026. “Physical construction alone began around November 2025 and is now complete, meaning it took less than seven months. In just seven months, we managed to operationalize 1,061 cooperatives,” the President stated, emphasizing the swift and efficient execution of this vital project.
Prabowo elaborated on the diverse range of activities these Merah Putih Village Cooperatives will undertake, designed to bolster local economies and directly benefit communities. Their functions will include the sale of essential basic necessities, the crucial distribution of subsidized fertilizers to farmers, the provision of affordable credit, and the absorption of farmers’ unhusked rice, thereby supporting agricultural productivity and market access.
Looking ahead, the Head of State articulated ambitious targets for the KDMP program, aiming for a total of 20,000 cooperatives to be operational by August 2026. He presented this as irrefutable evidence of the government’s and all its institutions’ extraordinary capacity to drive national progress through collective determination and robust collaboration. “We must not be a defeated nation. We must be a winning nation, and we will win, we will be strong, we will rise. We prove it today, and we will prove it by August with at least 20,000 cooperatives established,” he asserted with conviction.
The President further outlined broader national development goals, including the establishment of 1,000 Fishermen Villages by December and the construction of hundreds of new “Sekolah Rakyat” (People’s Schools) by 2027. He underscored his deep belief in the nation’s potential, stating, “If the Indonesian nation truly desires it, if it truly cooperates, the Indonesian nation is not a weak nation, not a defeated nation, but a strong nation – that is my conviction.” These statements painted a picture of an invigorated nation striving for comprehensive advancement.
President Prabowo extended his sincere gratitude to all his staff and cabinet members for their seamless teamwork in bringing the KDMP initiative to fruition. He expressed unwavering confidence that these cooperatives would evolve into a shared national asset, a collective force dedicated to fostering greater prosperity and unity among the Indonesian people. “Let us advance with confidence. These cooperatives will be our shared ownership, our collective strength, and they will help Indonesia. Our economy is built on the foundation of kinship, as enshrined in our Constitution. This means the strong uplift the weak, and the rich assist the poor,” he concluded, encapsulating the spirit of mutual support and national solidarity that underpins this transformative endeavor.
Summary
President Prabowo Subianto officially inaugurated 1,061 Merah Putih Village/Sub-district Cooperatives (KDMP) in Nglawak Village, Nganjuk, East Java, on May 16, 2026. This swift initiative, completed in less than a year with physical construction taking under seven months, aims to bolster local economies. The KDMP units will sell basic necessities, distribute subsidized fertilizers, offer affordable credit, and absorb farmers’ unhusked rice, directly benefiting communities.
The ceremony, attended by various cabinet ministers, underscored the government’s strong commitment to rural economic development. President Prabowo articulated ambitious plans to establish 20,000 KDMP units by August 2026, alongside other national development goals. He expressed confidence in Indonesia’s collective strength and potential, envisioning these cooperatives as a shared national asset fostering prosperity and unity based on mutual support and the nation’s kinship economy principles.