Klaten, Central Java — July 21, 2025 — President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto reaffirmed that the 80,081 Merah Putih Village Cooperatives are designed to improve people’s welfare, not to benefit a select few. He called on all stakeholders to strictly monitor the cooperatives to prevent any form of abuse.

Speaking at the official launch of the program in Bentangan Village, Klaten, President Prabowo warned against repeating past mistakes.

“Back in the New Order era, there was a joke about KUD cooperatives—people said it stood for ‘Ketua Untung Duluan’ or ‘Chairman Profits First.’ This must not happen again,” he said.

He emphasized that the new cooperative system is rooted in technology and transparency, ensuring that all financial flows can be monitored and audited in real-time.

“Today, everyone has gadgets. Technology will ensure strict oversight. The Minister and Deputy Minister of Cooperatives are implementing a system where all inflows and outflows must go through digital platforms. So the era of ‘Chairman Profits First’ is over.”

President Prabowo also stated that the Merah Putih Cooperatives belong to the people, and village heads must take an active role in supervision to keep the initiative aligned with its purpose of serving the community.

“Village heads, are you ready to supervise? You must watch over the cooperative chairpersons—because they are closest to the people. How could anyone take advantage of their own community? We all must oversee this together.”

He used a traditional metaphor to explain the power of unity:

“A single broomstick is weak, but when bundled into dozens or hundreds, it becomes a strong tool. That’s the concept of a cooperative: uniting the weak into a strong economic force. It’s the spirit of mutual cooperation.”

President Prabowo believes this movement will revitalize Indonesia’s rural economy and reverse the long-standing centralization of resources.

“I believe this is the start of a major movement. The funds that used to flow from villages to cities will now be redirected—from the capital, to the provinces, to the villages. The wheels of the economy must now turn in the regencies, districts, and villages.”