Jakarta, July 12 -- Minister of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) Budi Arie Setiadi stated that the Red and White Village Cooperatives program is aimed at disrupting the distribution chain of loan sharks and middlemen.

"This program is designed to break the distribution chain of loan sharks and middlemen while also providing villagers with access to capital and basic goods," Setiadi remarked after the 78th National Cooperatives Day (Harkopnas) ceremony at the Ministry of Cooperatives in Jakarta on Saturday.

He emphasized that cooperative activities will be conducted transparently, utilizing digital or cashless transactions.

Setiadi expressed confidence that the program would be collectively safeguarded. The ministry ...