The Ministry of Finance has confirmed that the salaries for managers of the Merah Putih Village Cooperatives (Kopdes Merah Putih) will be covered by the State Budget (APBN) for the next two years. This financial support serves as a strategic bridge to ensure the cooperatives can establish a strong foundation before becoming self-sufficient.
Askolani, the Director General of Budget at the Ministry of Finance, revealed that this scheme was finalized through cross-ministerial coordination. Speaking at the APBN KiTA press conference, he emphasized that the two-year state funding is intended to foster growth. “The plan is to support the first two years through the APBN. After that, they are expected to utilize their own operational funds,” Askolani explained.
Regarding the recruitment process for these managerial positions, the Ministry of Finance noted that responsibilities are shared among relevant agencies. Key stakeholders, including the National Civil Service Agency (BKN), the Ministry of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform (PANRB), and Danantara, are collaborating to manage the intake of qualified personnel.
The primary goal of this initial state backing is to ensure that the cooperatives—supported by Agrinas Pangan Nusantara—can navigate their early stages of operation successfully. Askolani expressed optimism that by the end of the two-year period, the cooperatives will have matured sufficiently to generate enough profit to cover their own payroll and operational expenses independently.
While the commitment to provide state support is clear, specific details regarding the budget allocation are still under internal review. “We are still discussing the finer details of the APBN allocation within the Ministry of Finance,” Askolani added.
This clarification follows earlier statements from the Coordinating Minister for Food, Zulkifli Hasan (Zulhas), who previously indicated that the state-owned enterprise PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara would play a pivotal role in the payment structure. Minister Zulhas had noted that while Agrinas Pangan would facilitate the payments, the specifics regarding the funding source would be formally clarified by the Ministry of Finance.
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Summary
The Ministry of Finance has announced that the state budget (APBN) will fund the salaries and recruitment of Merah Putih Village Cooperative managers for an initial two-year period. This strategic support is designed to provide a financial bridge, allowing the cooperatives to establish a stable foundation before they transition to self-sufficiency.
The recruitment process is currently being coordinated by several agencies, including the BKN, the Ministry of PANRB, and Danantara. Officials expect that these cooperatives, supported by Agrinas Pangan Nusantara, will generate sufficient profits to cover their own operational costs and payroll after the two-year state intervention concludes.