Jakarta, July 12 -- Minister of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Budi Arie Setiadi has said that the Indonesian people expect the Red and White Villages Cooperatives program to bring about grassroots economic empowerment.

"Red and White Villages Cooperatives (program) is the people's hope to become an instrument in their economic struggle-to improve public welfare and promote village development across Indonesia," he said during a media doorstop after the 78th National Cooperatives Day ( Harkopnas ) ceremony at his ministry's headquarters in Jakarta on Saturday.

Setiadi emphasized that the program should not be seen as a mere initiative, but as an effort to devise real solutions to persistent social issues.

He highl...