MOJOKERTO – The Minister of Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions (Mendes PDT), Yandri Susanto, stated that the Merah Putih Village Cooperative (Kopdes) is specifically designed to be the driving engine of the people's economy. Moving forward, the vast majority of the profits generated by the cooperative's business units will be returned directly to the village as village-derived revenue (PADes).

"Eighty percent of the profits from the Merah Putih Village Cooperative will go directly back to the people in the village—it will be distributed, gentlemen. The remaining 20 percent will be allocated for village-derived revenue. Therefore, absolutely nothing is being taken back to Jakarta. If the village fund allocation appears altered, rest assured that not a single cent is being taken by President Prabowo," Minister Yandri explained during a meeting with village heads from across Mojokerto Regency, held at the Amanatul Ummah Islamic Boarding School Auditorium, Mojokerto, East Java, on Sunday (June 14, 2026).

"Eventually, these will become assets for the village. There will be warehouses, trucks, pickup trucks, and three-wheeled cargo motorcycles, all entirely dedicated to the village," he added.

More broadly, Minister Yandri emphasized that the central government is not cutting village funds. Instead, it is strengthening governance to ensure that the utilization of these funds is more measurable and delivers a direct impact on rural communities, particularly through the establishment of the Merah Putih Village Cooperatives.

This governance reinforcement is being actualized through the expansion of the Merah Putih Village Cooperatives across various business sectors. These include supplying basic staples, distributing fertilizer and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), and acting as an offtaker (guaranteed buyer) for commodities produced by local village residents.

According to the Minister, the presence of these village cooperatives is expected to reduce local reliance on predatory loan sharks and middlemen, while simultaneously reinforcing rural economic self-reliance.

"As I have stated on multiple occasions, village funds are not being clawed back by the central government; rather, their governance structure is being reformed. While villages previously managed these funds independently under ministerial regulations or other guidelines, a significant portion will now be channeled into these village cooperatives," he concluded.

Foto: Dani/Kemendes PDT 
Teks: Dayat/Kemendes PDT