East Java endorsed as priority in village cooperatives

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Cooperatives Minister Budi Arie Setiadi expressed support for East Java Province to be the main priority in the development of Red and White Village Cooperatives.

Bojonegoro is one of the several districts in East Java that has been prioritized for the cooperatives' development.

“I am optimistic that East Java will be an example for other regions in developing village cooperatives,” he noted in a statement in Jakarta on Friday.

During the 78th Cooperatives Day commemoration event in East Java on Thursday, he emphasized that village cooperatives are a shared responsibility to realize social justice for all Indonesians.

Setiadi emphasized that justice must be pursued to realize equitable economic management so that everyone receives optimal benefits.

The minister also emphasized that cooperatives should be a tool for people's economic empowerment, providing benefits to the wider community.

He expressed hope that with a spirit of mutual cooperation and dedication from all parties, cooperatives can become a key pillar for the nation's progress and prosperity.

On the same occasion, East Java Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa noted that the East Java Provincial Government received the fastest and most substantial support in developing the Red and White Village Cooperatives.

Parawansa emphasized the importance of compliance with rules in carrying out cooperative activities as a form of commitment to President Prabowo Subianto's mandate to make cooperatives a pillar of progress, justice, and national prosperity.

Over 81 thousand Red and White Village Cooperatives have been established across Indonesia, with 77,900 having become legal entities.

President Prabowo is scheduled to launch the Red and White Village Cooperatives on July 21, 2025, in Klaten, Central Java.

Currently, 103 model village cooperatives are expected to serve as an example for others.