Bojonegoro — Deputy Minister of Cooperatives of the Republic of Indonesia, Farida Farichah, expressed open appreciation for the performance of BMT NU Ngasem, which he considered to have exceeded the function of cooperatives in general. In front of thousands of members and invited guests at the Annual Member Meeting (RAT), he mentioned BMT NU Ngasem as a clear example that congregation-based cooperatives are capable of growing large, professional and sustainable.
In his speech, the Deputy Minister highlighted the scale of fund management of BMT NU Ngasem which reached almost half a trillion rupiah. This figure, according to him, is not just large, but reflects the high level of member trust and managerial abilities that are not simple.
"Managing that amount of money is not easy. Especially if there are more people borrowing than saving. But BMT NU Ngasem can stand majestically to this day," he said.
He even compared the scale of funds managed by BMT NU Ngasem with the budget of the Ministry of Cooperatives, to emphasize that this cooperative has operated at a level that is usually only achieved by institutions.
More than just financial achievements, the Deputy Minister believes that the success of BMT NU Ngasem lies in consistently implementing the values of Nahdlatul Ulama and sharia economics. According to him, this cooperative carries out an old principle inherited by the NU kiai: assisting the people's economy in a real way, not just through lectures or moral appeals.
"Accompany the business first, then recite the Koran. Today BMT NU Ngasem carries out the preaching of the kiai," he said.
He considers this approach to be relevant to village conditions today, where many areas have natural resources and economic potential, but the residents are often just spectators when huge investment coming in. In this context, BMT NU Ngasem is said to have succeeded in keeping the economic cycle in the hands of local residents.
The government's appreciation does not stop with praise. The Deputy Minister stated that the experience of BMT NU Ngasem is worthy of being used as a national reference, especially for the development of the Red and White Village/Subdistrict Cooperative which is being encouraged by the government. He mentioned the Chairman of the BMT NU Ngasem Cooperative Holding Management, Muhammad Wahyudi, as a figure who deserves to be a foster brother for village cooperatives that are just growing.
"If he can start from tens of millions to hundreds of billions, others can too. It just depends on whether they want to learn and commit or not," he said.
According to the Deputy Minister, the existence of cooperatives like BMT NU Ngasem also refutes the old stigma that cooperatives are only suitable for business. small and unable to be managed in a modern way. With professional governance and a strong member base, cooperatives are considered capable of becoming a true pillar of the people's economy.
Closing his remarks, the Deputy Minister hopes that the model developed by BMT NU Ngasem will not stop as a local achievement, but will be replicated more widely so that cooperatives truly become a pillar of the national economy, not just policy jargon.
