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| Raja Juli Antoni, Ph.D., as Deputy Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning of the Republic of Indonesia, Motivates Graduates at UMM (Photo : Rino PR) |
A high work ethic, understanding the importance of formal and informal knowledge, strengthening social skills, and maintaining integrity are the keys to success. This was conveyed by Raja Juli Antoni, Ph.D., the Deputy Minister of Agrarian and Spatial Planning of the Republic of Indonesia, in front of thousands of graduates from Universitas Muhammadiyah Malang (UMM) on August 3rd. He revealed that UMM is a legendary campus that often ranks among the best universities, not only nationally but also internationally.
“Whoever is unable to endure the exhaustion of learning must be able to endure the pain of ignorance. This is a principle I firmly hold onto in my life. Additionally, I always remember the words of the late Malik Fadjar, who was the Rector of UMM. He advised us to continuously love knowledge and pursue higher education,” he said.
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Juli, as he is commonly known, pointed out that many people are still trapped in poverty, both structural and cultural. He believes this becomes an excuse for those who are reluctant to change and lack a desire to improve their quality of life.
“My father was once a contract teacher. Nevertheless, he always believed that knowledge could elevate someone's status, and this was proven in my own life. From this, I conclude that what differentiates people is their work ethic, a desire to keep learning, good communication skills, and maintaining integrity,” he added.
He also advised all graduates to extract value from every task assigned by their leaders. According to him, this represents a form of trust that must be executed to the fullest and serves as an opportunity to enhance skills. “Not everyone has the chance, and opportunities come from various sources, including tasks assigned in the professional world. Do not view these as burdens,” he said.
On the other hand, Prof. Dr. Fauzan, M.Pd., Secretary of UMM's Board of Trustees, mentioned that the graduates would soon face the real world, interacting with a complex society. This is what UMM graduates must bravely confront.
“You must be able and continually refine yourself to maintain a positive outlook. Always think about the benefit and strive for values of goodness. A leader has a significant responsibility to continually provide benefits, both for themselves and their environment,” he said.
Similarly, Prof. Dr. Nazaruddin Malik, M.Si., Rector of UMM, explained the training and preparation that graduates have received during their studies at UMM. According to him, all of this is to shape the graduates into future leaders.
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“'Student Today, Leader Tomorrow' is a tagline from UMM that our founding fathers always promoted. This must continue to be our shared belief. While you are in college, you are a student, and upon graduation, you must become a leader,” he said.
Leaders must be able to inspire and guide their surroundings to improve. According to him, this is the true character of UMM graduates when they enter society. Nazar also encouraged the graduates to stay optimistic about facing life. “The future of Indonesia lies in your hands. You are the future of this nation. Therefore, I believe you are the best cadres of the organization and the Indonesian nation,” he concluded. (Faq/Wil/Fajr)
