BPKP to oversee Merah Putih coop funds; Rp1.5B building eyed

BPKP has begun overseeing spending for the construction of Koperasi Desa/Kelurahan Merah Putih after the program was launched at Istana Negara. BPKP head Muhammad Yusuf Ateh said the physical cost of the buildings under review is around Rp1,5 miliar, not Rp3 miliar, and field checks are being carried out with TNI using photos, videos and building-area measurements. At the same time, BPOM said it is ready to become a monitoring node for products sold through the village cooperatives, including processed food, traditional medicine, health supplements, cosmetics and UMKM products. BPOM head Taruna Ikrar said the agency will oversee both pre-market and post-market stages, including registration support, distribution permits and production standards. Earlier, Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa said the Rp3 miliar capital for each cooperative is not only for buildings, but also for operations through a loan scheme to Himbara.