As Chairman of the Gerindra Party, Prabowo expressed optimism that funds for the program could be secured by cracking down on food-related mafias. He pointed out that many business actors profit dishonestly by mislabeling ordinary goods as premium.
One recent example he cited was the case of fake rice that sparked public concern.
He argued that such dishonest practices cause significant losses to the state.
“I urge the Chief of Police and the Attorney General to arrest those who persist in these actions so that the state can recover Rp100 trillion annually. It’s unacceptable to label regular rice as premium. This must be dealt with,” he said.
The former Defense Minister believes such misconduct is not unique to Indonesia and also occurs abroad. According to him, Indonesia is a wealthy country but is often held back by these criminal networks, which make the nation appear poor.
To tackle the issue, Prabowo is promoting the Koperasi Desa Merah Putih as a solution. He said the cooperative would shorten the food distribution chain and help lower prices, particularly for low-income communities.
However, Suroto, Chairman of the Association of Strategic Socio-Economic Cadres (AKSES), raised concerns about the program. He warned that imposing cooperatives through a top-down model could repeat the failures of similar initiatives in the past.
Suroto stated that the government is directing the formation of these cooperatives through ministries and agencies, pushing local governments, villages, and state-owned enterprises to comply within a short timeframe.
“These cooperatives are being established through Special Village Deliberations, not from the organic will of the villagers,” he said in a written statement on Monday, July 21, 2025.
He also noted that some village heads feel pressured because the initiative is part of a national strategic agenda. Although the government denies the use of coercive tactics, Suroto said that implementation on the ground tells a different story.
“The timeline, funding, and even business models are all dictated from above. This shows the program is not based on villagers’ needs but rather the government’s imposed agenda,” he conclude