Kopertoku, Monthly Shopping at Koperasi Aja

Carrying the principle of "By us, for us" the Bandung City Government Employees Cooperative (KPKB) launched the Tokoku Cooperative (Kopertoku) as a special shopping place for Bandung City Civil Service Apparatus (ASN).

The Acting Mayor of Bandung, Yana Mulyana, appreciated this program. According to Yana, the function of the KPKB is to be able to provide a minimum of basic needs for ASN.

"Hopefully, after the pandemic, KPKB can help the economic recovery process in Bandung City quickly," Yana said, Thursday, February 24, 2022.

The chairman of the KPKB, Yaya Sunarya, explained that the aim of Kopertoku is to enable ASN, who usually shop monthly at minimarkets, to switch to government business units.

"We also provide an application to simplify the process of ordering food packages. So, later consumers will not need to come to the store directly," he said.

For the price, Yaya added, KPKB will adjust the price of basic food packages to be able to compete with the market.

"Yes, in principle, we will provide a lower price so as not to burden the members," he said.

The price for each food package will also be adjusted to each ASN class. Yaya explained, for group IV, they will get a choice of welfare package 1.

While Group III gets a welfare package 2. Group II can choose a welfare package 3. While group I gets a welfare package 4.

"The selling price will vary. We (KPKB) will provide the goods. For the location itself, it will be based on the regional apparatus of each region," he added.

For payment, continued Yaya, it can be done in cash or through monthly salary deductions. The plan, Kopertoku will begin to be activated as of March 2022.

"This Kopertoku has an impact on the remaining operating results (SHU). So yes, actually this can be profitable for the members of the cooperative as well," said Yaya.

During 2021, the asset empowerment that has been carried out by KPKB has reached 88.5 billion. Especially in SHU, Yaya said, there will be a significant increase during 2021.

"SHU has increased significantly because this is related to land assets in Cimencrang which have been sold to the Bandung City Government," he said.

In addition, KPKB also has other programs to support the future of retired ASN. One of them is the entrepreneurship training program.

"We will provide entrepreneurship training for members who are approaching retirement in collaboration with Unpad. So that when KPKB members retire, they will have new businesses," he concluded.

Meanwhile, the Head of the West Java Province Cooperatives and Small Business Office, Kusmana Hartadji, appreciated the performance of the program carried out by the KPKB so far.

According to him, the centralization of KPKB cooperative members should also be applied by provincial cooperatives.

"All provincial offices have cooperatives with debt payments through salary deductions. So, when you transfer to another service, it doesn't pay off," said Kusmana.

"Here, everything is centralized. So, if you want to transfer, that's okay, you can still cut your salary," he added. (din)*

Head of Discominfo Bandung

Yayan A. Brilyana