President Prabowo Subianto, during the official launch of the Merah Putih Village Cooperatives program in Bentangan Village, Klaten, emphasized the importance of ensuring that the cooperatives are designed to improve the welfare of the people. He warned against past mistakes, particularly the abuse of cooperatives for personal gain as seen during the New Order era. President Prabowo highlighted the use of technology and transparency in the new cooperative system to monitor and audit financial flows in real-time, preventing any form of corruption. He called on village heads to actively supervise the cooperative chairpersons to ensure that the initiative serves the community as intended. President Prabowo used a metaphor to illustrate the power of unity, stating that cooperative is about uniting the weak to create a strong economic force through mutual cooperation. He believes that the Merah Putih Cooperatives will revitalize Indonesia’s rural economy and redirect funds from the capital to the provinces and villages, promoting economic growth at the local level. This movement aims to decentralize resources and strengthen the economy in regencies, districts, and villages.
