Secretary-General M. Guntur Hamzah giving remarks at a graduation rehearsal of the Postgraduate School of Airlangga University virtually, Wednesday (9/28/2022). Photo by MKRI.

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Wednesday, September 28, 2022 | 12:01 WIB

JAKARTA (MKRI) — Secretary-General M. Guntur Hamzah delivered remarks at a graduation rehearsal of the Postgraduate School of Airlangga University (SPS Unair) for graduation in October 2022 on Wednesday, September 27, 2022. The event, entitled “Development of Human Resources Toward Indonesia Golden 2045” at the Airlangga Sharia’ and Entrepreneurship Education Center (ASEEC) building, Campus B of Airlangga University. SPS Unair director Badri Munir Sukoco, vice directors Rudi Purwono and Suparto Wijoyo, Unair lecturers and professor, as well as graduates-to-be attended the event virtually.

In his remarks entitled “Leadership Integrity and Excellent and Morality-Based Human Resources,” Guntur said Indonesia had experienced ups and downs in its development, which relied on its natural and human resources. He said Indonesia were often remiss in managing its resources sustainably. He revealed that in the 70s, the nation was lulled by the abundance of petroleum, which made it an exporting country. However, today Indonesia is always short on petroleum and has to import it.

Similarly, in the 90s, Indonesia had abundant natural forestry resources. However, today many forest areas have been damaged and completely cleared, causing various environmental damages, including climate change.

The same issue also happened to energy-based natural resources, such as coal, gas, and nickel. As one of the world’s largest commodity-producing countries, on the one hand Indonesia has a huge advantage in exporting these natural resources. On the other hand, the abundance of natural products in Indonesia can become what American economists Jeffrey D. Sachs and Andrew M. Warmer said to be “the curse of natural resources.”

Guntur then asked the audience the main factors that keep Indonesia from optimally managing its natural resources? One of them, he said, is lack of focus on improving the quality of human resources who will manage those resources and various other strategic policies. He also said development must be based on justice and can be utilized by all levels of society.

He urged the prospective graduates to understand the context of equitable human resource development proposed by Michael J. Sandel, a professor of government theory at Harvard University Law School. He asserted that justice can be achieved through a balance of the three pillars: freedom, welfare, and virtue.

Excellent human resources must have free will of all things, space to be creative and develop optimally, albeit under certain guidelines. Superior human resources require strong basic foundation in the form of welfare support. The government and all of the community must provide full support for young talents to grow into better generations. Virtues—good values ​​and behavior—must be instilled in everyone. Leaders and prospective leaders must have high integrity and morality, local wisdom, and strong character.

“Therefore, the key to Indonesia’s just development is excellent human resources that understands and applies freedom, welfare, and virtue, and embodies the character and spirit of Pancasila,” Guntur said before the prospective graduates, including La Nyalla Mahmud Mattalitti (speaker of the Regional Representatives Council) and Baddrut Tamam (regent of Pamekasan). 

Repositioning Leaders

Meanwhile, SPS Unair director Badri Munir Sukoco said Indonesia should make changes by accelerating the country’s achievements because the world’s economy is starting to shift and inflation has occurred in several countries. Therefore, Indonesia needs to expand its service sector using the help of technology, as reflected in the repositioning of leaders at the Airlangga University’s Postgraduate School, which will send of its graduates in October 2022. Only then could Indonesia become a developed country by 2045. He hoped that the graduates of SPS Unair would be national leaders who contribute to their fields.

“Indonesia will not progress if its policies and law enforcement are not pro-change. So, this school where people from various groups gather should contribute to the ecosystem that directs Indonesia’s progress in 2045 into a developed nation, which is a big ambition that must be achieved together. Hopefully [people will show] more concern for advanced Indonesia, so that everyone will be excited to realize advanced Indonesia in 2045. Congratulations to the prospective graduates,” Badri said. 

Writer        : Sri Pujianti
Editor        : Nur R.
Translator  : Yuniar Widiastuti (NL)

Translation uploaded on 11/17/2022 16:17 WIB

Disclaimer: The original version of the news is in Indonesian. In case of any differences between the English and the Indonesian versions, the Indonesian version will prevail.

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