Padang, W Sumatra, May 29 -- Deputy Minister of Cooperatives Ferry Juliantono has expressed optimism that the program to establish 80 thousand Red and White Village Cooperatives, initiated by President Prabowo Subianto, would help reduce extreme poverty in Indonesia.

During a dialogue on the acceleration of village deliberations for the cooperatives' establishment in Padang, West Sumatra, on Thursday, he said that so far, loan sharks, expensive medicines, and costly basic necessities are common woes in villages.

Many young village residents of working age choose to look for work in cities, creating new problems in villages.

With the establishment of 80 thousand village cooperatives across Indonesia, it is hoped that young people will c...