PORTALJABAR, DISTRICT. KARAWANG - The Garut Regional Government received an award as a district/city government that actively encourages the development of cooperatives and supports the progress of cooperatives.

This award was given at the 77th West Java Province Cooperative Day (Harkop) Commemoration event in 2024, which was held at the Galuh Mas Street Carnival, Karawang Regency, Friday (12/7/2024).

Acting The Governor of West Java, Bey Machmudin handed over the award to Acting. Garut Regent, Barnas Adjidin.

Barnas said that this award is a source of pride that must be followed by clear steps in developing cooperatives in the future so that cooperative members are more prosperous.

Barnas added that Harkop is not just a slogan, but needs to be promoted in Garut Regency.

He emphasized the importance of education for regions and institutions so they can form cooperatives.

"Cooperatives can be institutions that ward off detrimental actions such as online gambling and online loans," said Barnas.

He hopes that the Head of the Garut Regency Cooperatives and Small Micro Enterprises (Diskop UKM) Service and his staff will continue to educate the public about cooperatives.

"With rapid development, cooperatives must also be faster, not inferior to the current conditions. I hope that cooperatives can become an umbrella of protection for the residents within the cooperative itself," he hoped.

The Governor of West Java, Bey Machmudin, in a West Java Public Relations press release, stated that the 77th Harkop commemoration in 2024 reflects the strategic role of cooperatives in accelerating the nation's efforts to get out of the middle income trap. According to him, cooperatives have an important role in developing the people's business ecosystem from micro businesses. to small businesses, and small businesses to medium businesses.

Cooperatives, according to him, have become a solution to provide certainty in purchasing products, access to innovation and technology, partnerships and capital.

Therefore, Bey hopes that more cooperatives will be able to provide technology and innovation to support a promising business ecosystem for the younger generation.

"The cooperative spirit must be transmitted to the younger generation to create a more promising business ecosystem," he said.

He emphasized that the more cooperatives that provide solutions in innovation, technology, partnerships, markets and capital, the faster MSMEs in Indonesia will move up in class. (Diskominfo Garut/Fauziah)