Jakarta. The Defense Ministry said five participants in a government training program for prospective village cooperative managers have died during a military-style training course, prompting a comprehensive review of health monitoring and safety procedures.

The fatalities occurred during the 2026 Indonesian Development Pioneer Scholars (SPPI) program, which combines state-defense and management training for candidates who are expected to manage the government's Red and White village and fishing cooperatives.

The latest death was reported on Friday, bringing the total number of fatalities to five.

"We express our deepest condolences over the deaths of the five SPPI participants who were undergoing state-defense and managerial training," Major General Ketut Gede Wetan, head of the Defense Ministry's Human Resources Development Agency, told a press conference in Jakarta on Saturday.

The deceased participants were identified as Yonanda Muhammad Taufik, Anisha Muyassaroh, Novia Rahmadhani Sihotang, Muhammad Rifki Renaldi Gunawan, and Nola Diasari.

According to the Defense Ministry, the participants died from different medical conditions, including cardiac arrest, heat stroke, tuberculosis, pneumonia and other medical complications. One case remains under further medical evaluation.

Ketut said all participants had undergone medical screening before entering the program, including blood and urine tests, chest X-rays, electrocardiograms, abdominal ultrasounds, eye and dental examinations, posture assessments and mental health evaluations.

The ministry said participants who experienced health problems received treatment at on-site medical facilities before being referred to hospitals.

The deaths have intensified scrutiny of the SPPI program, which incorporates a 45-day training period consisting of 30 days of state-defense training followed by 15 days of managerial instruction.

Presidential Chief of Staff Dudung Abdurachman said earlier this week that authorities had not found evidence of negligence.

"Not every death can immediately be linked to military training," Dudung told reporters at the Presidential Palace. "There may be physical, mental, or other factors involved."

Defense officials stressed that the program is not intended to train military personnel but rather to build discipline, leadership, teamwork and professionalism among future cooperative managers.

"The state-defense and managerial training is not designed to turn participants into soldiers," Ketut said.

The ministry said it would conduct a comprehensive review of the program, focusing on participant health monitoring, medical supervision, training intensity, referral systems and early detection of health risks.

Officials also plan to coordinate with the Health Ministry to strengthen prevention, early detection and treatment of pulmonary and infectious diseases within training facilities.

The SPPI program supports President Prabowo Subianto's flagship Red and White village cooperative initiative, which aims to establish more than 80,000 cooperatives nationwide to improve rural supply chains, increase access to financing and create employment opportunities.

Approximately 35,000 prospective managers for village and fishing cooperatives are currently undergoing training at dozens of military facilities across Indonesia.

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