UMM Student Wins National Essay Competition with Solution to Address South China Sea Problem

Author : Humas | Friday, November 17, 2023 06:06 WIB

Universitas of Muhammadiyah Malang student team (Photo : Special)

The team of students from Muhammadiyah University of Malang (UMM) once again achieved success in the Indonesian Foreign Policy Review (IFPR) competition themed "Indonesia's ASEAN Chairmanship 2023: What can Indonesia do?". UI's International Relation Project held the competition in Jakarta on November 3. The UMM team won second place in the event.

One of the team members, Gonzaga Alnabe, explained that the competition was team-based. There were dozens of teams competing. They had been working on their essay since July and submitted it at the beginning of November. Their chosen topic was compelling, focusing on the South China Sea problem, which remains a hotly debated topic among ASEAN countries and China.

They also discussed ASEAN's position and role in that domain, as well as its relationship with Indonesia. "We highlighted several focal points, such as discussions on history and ASEAN's role and position in responding to the events. What is the role of the economy in preventing and defusing these conflicts," said Gonzaga.

The student, originally from Kefamenanu City, East Nusa Tenggara (NTB), mentioned that they also proposed solutions to the problem. "We suggested establishing an effective communication forum between ASEAN and China to create a unified voice. Moreover, we proposed clearer maritime law enforcement by UNCLOS for legal certainty," he added.

In the final round, they were evaluated by the judges and a core member of ASEAN. This required them to prepare mentally and demonstrate their best critical thinking. They successfully answered various questions effectively and articulately. Their engaging and unique presentation style ultimately led them to secure second place in the Best Public Speaking category of the competition.

Currently, riding on this victory, Gonzaga and the team are applying for course credit conversion at UMM. Furthermore, UMM consistently supports its students in achieving success. "UMM always provides numerous platforms for its students. I am grateful to have friendly and collaborative friends," he concluded. (Ri/Wil/Fajr)

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