Jakarta, June 5 -- The government envisions Red and White Village Cooperatives working in harmony with village-owned enterprises (BUMDes) to improve the welfare of rural communities, Deputy Minister of Villages and Disadvantaged Regions Development Ahmad Riza Patria stated.

Patria emphasized that the emergence of new cooperatives is not meant to replace or overshadow existing BUMDes but rather to complement them. He urged both entities to collaborate rather than compete, so they can fully capitalize on their host villages' natural resources.

"Both BUMDes and cooperatives are needed. There is no need to shut down BUMDes, as both can work hand in hand to support their communities. We want village cooperatives to contribute to welfare enha...