Jakarta, June 23 -- Cooperatives Minister Budi Arie Setiadi announced that he has informed President Prabowo Subianto about the establishment of around 80,133 Red and White Village Cooperatives (Kopdes) across Indonesia.

Setiadi made the comments during a limited cabinet meeting (Ratas) with the president and relevant officials at Hambalang, Bogor, West Java, on Monday.

"Yes, I was invited to a session in Hambalang to discuss the realization and operation of Red and White Village Cooperatives," Budi remarked when contacted by phone in Jakarta.

He explained that the Red and White Village Cooperatives operate in three stages: formation, development and operation, as well as monitoring and evaluation.

According to the minister, the first...