Minister Ferry Explains Koperasi Merah Putih Employee Salaries

Indonesian Minister of Cooperatives Ferry Juliantono announced that employee salaries at Koperasi Merah Putih will be determined by the cooperative's business performance. "Employees are expected to be paid from business revenue," Juliantono said, adding that manager salaries are still being discussed with the Ministry of Finance.

While employee wages are not directly set by the government, Deputy Minister of Cooperatives Farida Farichah explained that pay will depend on business performance and workload. She noted that salary payments will adhere to the regulations of PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara, the operational manager of Koperasi Merah Putih, though the Ministry of Cooperatives will maintain oversight.

This clarification follows reports of dissatisfaction among Koperasi Merah Putih managers in Bojonegoro, East Java, who allegedly received monthly salaries ranging from Rp 76,000 to Rp 1.4 million, without BPJS health or employment benefits. Juliantono addressed these complaints, labeling them a "technical error" and confirming that the Director of PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara, Joao Angelo De Sousa Mota, had clarified the issue.

De Sousa Mota previously stated that the welfare and rights of employees across 1,061 outlets in Central and East Java are a priority. He assured that Agrinas is reviewing its systems and committed to resolving any data discrepancies, with some issues already addressed and others in progress. Agrinas aims to optimize its management systems for the operating outlets and prepare new ones for launch.