PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - President of the Republic of Indonesia Prabowo Subianto emphasized his commitment to returning the direction of national economic development to the spirit of a people's economy by strengthening cooperatives.

This was conveyed while attending the Peak Commemoration of the 79th Cooperative Day with the theme "Empowered Cooperatives, Prosperous Indonesia" at the Indonesia Arena, Jakarta, Sunday (12/7/2026).

The commemoration of National Cooperatives Day began with the singing of the Indonesian national anthem, followed by a prayer led by the Minister of Religious Affairs, a report by the Chairman of the Indonesian Cooperative Council (Dekopin) Bambang Haryadi, remarks by the Minister of Cooperatives Ferry Juliantono, and closed with a speech by the President of the Republic of Indonesia.

In his speech, President Prabowo emphasized that the government is working to restore the direction of economic development in accordance with the ideals of the nation's founders, namely an economy that sides with the people and is based on a spirit of family.

"We have been struggling for quite some time to return economic development to the direction envisioned by our predecessors, namely a family-oriented, people-oriented economy. This requires all elements to play a role and be given opportunities," the President said.

Prabowo stated that the government does not want to dwell on past policies. He believes that various development experiences provide important lessons for building a stronger and more equitable national economic system.

"We're not looking for past mistakes. We acknowledge that they were shared mistakes. At the time, we were perhaps dazzled by the West's superiority. It seemed as if the West was a superior civilization, capable of bringing prosperity in a short time. It turns out, after three decades, we see that this is not true," he said.

Therefore, the President believes that cooperatives will be a key pillar in strengthening the foundation of the Indonesian economy. He is optimistic that the cooperative movement can bring economic independence rooted in community strength.

"Don't worry, the Indonesian cooperative movement will rise to become an economic force in Indonesia, a movement that will not take money out of Indonesia," Prabowo stressed.

The 79th Cooperatives Day commemoration is a momentum to strengthen the government's commitment to building modern, professional, and competitive cooperatives.

Through the spirit of "Empowered Cooperatives, Prosperous Indonesia," the government hopes that cooperatives will increasingly play a role as drivers of the people's economy, expanding business opportunities, and improving the welfare of people throughout Indonesia.

(Rep pun/bhf)