The existence of the Merah Putih Cooperative (KMP) building in the Stone Garden area, West Bandung, has recently come under public spotlight after a video showing its location amidst dense vegetation went viral on social media. Many parties questioned the accessibility and urgency of building the cooperative, which appears isolated in the limestone mountain area.
The Head of Gunungmasigit Village, Tarkopa, firmly dismissed the notion that the 20x30 meter building is located on top of a mountain. He explained that the construction site is actually located in the parking lot area of the Stone Garden tourist attraction. According to him, the narrative circulating online does not reflect the actual geographical conditions on the ground.
Tarkopa revealed that the selection of this location was the result of coordination with PT Agrinas Pangan Nusantara as the program implementer. The area is considered the most ideal based on the availability of village-owned land (lahan carik) and potential future economic collaboration. The cooperative is planned to function as a distribution center for local products and support food security, while also serving as a strategic partner for the local Tourism Awareness Group (Pokdarwis).
The main challenge in building the KMP in various villages in Cipatat District is the requirement for a minimum land area of 1,000 square meters, which must have village treasury land status. The Head of Cipatat District, Herman Permadi, admitted that the limitation of village-owned land is the main obstacle. Out of 12 villages planned to have cooperative units, only five villages have met the land availability requirements, while other villages are still constrained by land ownership regulations.
Herman added that the variation in building locations, ranging from rubber plantation areas to sand mining areas, is a consequence of limited village land assets. Although it has drawn criticism regarding accessibility, local government officials are optimistic that the presence of this cooperative will become an economic driver for rural communities in the future.
