Cooperatives Minister Budi Arie Setiadi appointed Panel Barus, the Treasurer of the Pro Jokowi Volunteers (Projo), as the Deputy for Cooperative Business Development at the Ministry of Cooperatives. The ceremony took place in the Kemenkop hall in South Jakarta on Friday evening, January 3, 2025. Alongside Panel Barus, Budi Arie also appointed Hendra as the Deputy for Institutional and Digitalization of Cooperatives, Destry Anna Sari as the Deputy for Talent Development and Competitiveness, and Koko Haryono as the Special Advisor for Public Policy at Kemenkop. “I believe you can carry out your duties excellently,” Budi Arie stated before signing the appointment document. In his speech, he mentioned that President Prabowo Subianto has high expectations for the Ministry of Cooperatives. Budi Arie also noted that the ministry received an additional budget of 10 trillion rupiah this year. He had recently held a limited meeting with Prabowo at the Bogor Palace. “The president has great hopes for Kemenkop. That amount (10 trillion rupiah) is significant, and the responsibility is large,” Budi Arie said. During the event, he emphasized the need to revitalize Village Cooperatives (KUD). He mentioned that Kemenkop would also be involved in distributing subsidized fertilizer. “The president has stated that the distribution of subsidized fertilizer includes the word ‘cooperative’,” said the Projo Chairman. Additionally, Kemenkop was asked to coordinate with the National Nutrition Agency for a free nutritious food program.