TERNATE — Secretary General of the Ministry of Villages and Development of Disadvantaged Regions (Kemendes PDT), Taufik Madjid, encouraged Village-Owned Enterprises (BUM Desa) and Merah Putih Village/Kelurahan Cooperatives (Koperasi Desa/Kelurahan Merah Putih / KDKMP) to forge partnerships to bolster rural economies and elevate village community welfare. Taufik conveyed this directive during the Socialization Session on BUM Desa and KDKMP Synergies alongside village assistants, Integrated Village Economic Transformation (Transformasi Ekonomi Kampung Terpadu / TEKAD) facilitators, village heads, and community figures at Muara Hotel, Ternate, North Maluku, on Friday (October 2, 2026).

Taufik stated that the government continues to foster public welfare improvements by reinforcing various economic institutions at the village level. The establishment of KDKMP as a national priority program must operate hand-in-hand with BUM Desa, which have previously grown and executed economic activities across villages.

"KDKMP represents a national priority program launched by President Prabowo. Consequently, Kemendes PDT RI alongside related ministries within the Task Force for the Accelerated Construction and Development of Village Cooperatives continues to synergize to ensure the success of this program," Taufik declared.

According to him, developing KDKMP does not mean setting aside the presence of BUM Desa. Kemendes PDT actively promotes performance enhancements for BUM Desa while unlocking collaborative avenues with already operational village cooperatives.

This synergy is required so that both village economic entities can execute their respective functions while cultivating a mutually supportive business ecosystem. Consequently, the expansion of village economic activities can deliver broader benefits to local communities.

"In this framework, BUM Desa are obligated to support, partner, and unite in cooperation with KDKMP. These two institutions must synergize rather than displace one another; they must reinforce each other so they can operate side-by-side to fulfill community needs," Taufik emphasized.

Kemendes PDT is also committed to supporting the accelerated operationalization of established KDKMPs. Reinforcing these cooperative operations is expected to bring rural communities closer to essential goods and strategic necessities while strengthening distribution supply chains down to the village level.

Within this framework, BUM Desa occupy a strategic position due to their deep understanding of local characteristics, economic potentials, and community needs. Collaboration with KDKMP is expected to open new business opportunities, expand markets, and optimize local potential utilization.

Strengthening synergies between BUM Desa and KDKMP forms part of broader efforts to construct an inclusive village economic ecosystem. Economic institutions that have developed in villages must interconnect to prevent development programs from creating friction that inadvertently weakens local economic actors.

The dissemination session—engaging village assistants, TEKAD facilitators, village heads, and community leaders—plays a vital role in establishing a shared understanding regarding role distribution and collaborative opportunities between BUM Desa and KDKMP.

Kemendes PDT continues to drive cross-sector collaboration to reinforce rural economies. This approach aligns directly with President Prabowo Subianto's 6th Asta Cita, focusing on building from the villages and from the grassroots for economic equity and poverty eradication.

Through the synergy of BUM Desa and KDKMP, village-level economic institutions are expected to grow increasingly robust, optimize local potentials, expand enterprise activities, and ultimately raise the income and welfare of village communities.

Text: Ofa

Photo: TU Sekjen