Increasing employment opportunities will reduce unemployment, and ultimately can create prosperity. However, our current homework is about equalizing prosperity. Don't let this prosperity only be enjoyed by a handful of groups.
This was conveyed by the Minister of Cooperatives and Small and Medium Enterprises (UKM) of the Republic of Indonesia, Anak Agung Gede Ngurah (AAGN) Puspayoga during the Grand Opening of the Graha Pradnja Paramita Building, Setia Budi Wanita (SBW) Cooperative of Malang City, Tuesday (21/04). Cooperatives, he said, are one of the effective means to realize equal welfare.
"Cooperatives are different from companies, in terms of welfare equality. To support the welfare equality program, there are three pillars that must run in parallel, namely BUMN (State-Owned Enterprises_ed), private sector and cooperatives. One element does not have one vision, then it will result in the economy being stalled," explained Puspayoga.
He added that this is the hard work of all parties, especially the government to create equal welfare. "The three elements must have a program and work together. The SBW Cooperative is one real manifestation in improving the welfare of the community, especially its members," added Puspayoga.
The General Chairperson of the SBW Cooperative, Sri Untari said that the name Pradnja Paramita was the title of Queen Ken Dedes, where in history she was able to give birth to a quality generation of the nation. "For the SBW Cooperative, we also hope for the same. Not only SBW, we hope that other cooperatives can develop," she explained.
"In this cooperative life, we do not want to be dictated by other parties. We already have 9.800 members in Malang Raya. In the near future we want to have ten thousand members so that the SBW Cooperative can provide more welfare to the community," added the member of the East Java Provincial DPRD.
Meanwhile, Deputy Governor of East Java, Saifullah Yusuf said, it is not difficult for the SBW Cooperative to reach ten thousand members. "This cooperative is very good from all sides, and I hope other cooperatives like this can emerge. Cooperatives are one of the pillars of the people's economy," explained the man who is familiarly called Gus Ipul. (say/yon)
