Indonesia as Global Maritime Fulcrum

HISTORY OF INDONESIA

“Indonesia isn’t a group of islands surrounded by sea. It is a sea sprinkled by islands.” A. B. Lapian

History of Indonesia is adorned by the presence of maritime kingdoms. The kingdoms had territories consisted of lands separated by seas and relied on marine products for their existence. The kingdoms used trade and naval power to expand their territories. In the era of Srivijaya, Majapahit, and other kingdoms such as Gowa-Tallo and Ternate-Tidore, the Indonesians were once glorious and prosperous, expanding their influence to India and China. The politics, economics, trade, and naval transportation, security, and defense was conducted powerfully and made Indonesians be respected by world community at that time.

It isn’t a surprising thing. This glory can be achieved because the predecessors was able to utilize the nation’s potential. They have ideals and understanding of the Nusantara’s (archipelago) strategic positon and brought the country to be great, independent, and respected.

OVERVIEW OF INDONESIA'S MARINE AND FISHERY

As the world’s largest archipelagic state, Indonesia has a territorial area of 5.8 km², around 17000 islands, and 95000 km coastline length, the second longest after Canada. With coastal and sea areas so large, it contains abundant diversity of marine resources. It has broad and diverse marine ecosystems such as mangroves, coral reefs, and seagrass beds. In fact, Indonesia is known as the country with the largest marine biodiversity.

1. Wild Fishery

Indonesia has a maximum sustainable yield (MSY) of 6.4 million tons per year (7.5 % of global production) and has been utilized 4.8 million tons per year (BPS, 2009), around 70% of MSY.

This large amount of production put Indonesia in the third place of the world’s largest wild fishery after China and Peru (FAO, 2010).

However, despite the large amount of production, wild fishery hasn’t contributed to increase in international reserves and national GDP significantly. Export value of wild fishery in 2010 was 2.6 billion USD, still below Thailand which reached 6.5 billion USD even though Thai’s total production is ranked 12^th in the world. Even though all the potential of wild fishery is almost fully utilized and overfishing often happens, many of Indonesia’s fishermen live below poverty line. Indonesia is still losing the competition in increasing the value added in fishery products and still having obstruction in fulfilling the standardization of fishery products such as metal content, antibiotics, and effective and environmentally friendly management criteria. Furthermore, a number of fish caught in Indonesia’s water is transshipped and not unloaded at ports. In addition, cases of illegal fishing also impair the national income.

2. Aquaculture

Aquaculture consists of marine culture, brackish water pond, fresh water pond, floating fish cages, and paddy field. During 2003 – 2013, aquaculture production increased significantly (average increase of 27.23%). Aquaculture reduces overfishing in some areas such as Strait of Malacca, northern Java, and southern Celebes. The quality of aquaculture products will be easier to control and competes better with foreign products. The potency of aquaculture and its usage is shown in Table 1.

 

From Table 1, it can be seen that 1.4% of total aquaculture area potency is used. Indonesia has a great opportunity to develop aquaculture sector. Development of this sector requires not only utilization of provided area, but also productivity and efficiency increase by implementing integrally the best aquaculture practices and supply chain management; pollution control to meet environmental standards; spatial plan for an integral zone of cultivation, industry, and settlement; and economic policy that can support this sector.

Aquaculture production by commodity is shown on Table 2.

3. Fish Processing Industry

Fish processing industry consists of canning, salting or drying, smoking, heating, and preserving. Compared to neighboring countries such as Thailand and Philippines, Indonesia’s fish processing sector is still outclassed. Abroad, this sector grows because of technological supremacy and supplies adequacy (some of the supplies come from Indonesia both legally and illegally). Support of other sector such as taxation is also performed integrally.

However, today Indonesia is vigorously upholding law enforcement against illegal fishing. With the decreasing number of illegal fishing cases and the existence of moratorium on foreign ship permit policy (prohibition of unbeneficial transshipment), Indonesia is no longer threatened by fish scarcity in local market and susceptibility of food security. In fact, the strength of fishing industry begins to shift to Indonesia. Now many foreign countries are aspiring to invest in fishery sector.

4. Marine Biotechnology Industry

Marine biotechnology consists of: marine resources processing industry (medicine, nutraceutical, cosmetics, food); bioprocess industry (bioremediation, biofiltration, enzyme manufactures); and organism cultivation technology. The author hasn’t been able to find statistical data of biotechnology industry contribution to the national economy. According to the Center for Coastal and Marine Resources IPB, in 1997, the value of marine biotechnology industry potential could reach 50 billion USD per year.

Until now, marine biotechnology hasn’t become a reliable source of international reserves. The slow development of marine biotechnology industry is caused by several factors: limited scientific information as a guide for marine resources management; scarce knowledge about the value and potential of marine resources; complex marine ecosystem which require in-depth research; scarce information exchange between researchers; limited adequate laboratory facilities for research and development; and tenuous relationship between research institutions and entrepreneurs in developing biotechnology for industrial application.

Some of the research applied on an industrial scale, such as industrial fermentation, generally encounter problems: relatively high investment, inconsistent quality, and economies of scale which hasn’t reached Break Even Point (BEP).

Here’s a video about the ups and downs of building a company of biotechnology industry.

http://video.mit.edu/watch/alan-s-michaels-lecture-starting-and-building-biotech-companies-from-sepracor-to-selecta-5443/

5. Mining and Energy

Indonesia is geologically located at the the junction of tectonic plates with an abundant source of oil, gas, and minerals. Coastal and sea areas produce 70% of total oil and gas. From 60 basins potentially contain oil and gas, 40 basins are offshore, 14 are on the coast, and only 6 basins on the mainland. In addition, seas also contain other energy such as wave energy. This energy is generated from wave movement towards land and vice versa, and then used to spin the turbine generator. This type of energy has been developed in Portugal, known as “Aqucadora Wave Farm”. It can generate 2.25 MW electric power. Other types of new energy are also fit for further exploration such as gas hydrates  and biogenic gas found off the western Sumatra, southern West Java, and northern Makassar Strait (Richardson, 2008). Some of Indonesia’s mining and mineral products are gold, silver, manganese, lithium, phosphorus, and magnesium chloride. The great potential of marine minerals isn’t managed optimally because of technological, financial, and human resources inferiority to conduct mineral exploitation.

6. Nautical Tourism

Indonesia’s diverse flora and fauna as well as its beautiful seas have received world’s recognition. Unfortunately, this potential isn’t followed by development of attractions, particularly in small islands. These works need to be done: development of nautical tourism facilities and infrastructure (lodging, transportation, etc.), provision of tourism information system and, and proper promotion.

7. Mangrove Forests

Mangroves are seed plants inhabiting intertidal area (conflux of land and sea). Mangrove ecosystem has significant functions in ecological, environmental, and social-economic aspects. It can maintain water quality; reduce the impact of storms, waves, and floods; and serve as timber production source (English et al, 1997). Mangrove forests can only grow and thrive in tropical areas such as Indonesia.

Indonesia has the world’s most extensive mangrove forest, with approximately 3.06 million ha or 19% of global mangrove forest (FAO, 2007). However, Indonesia also sustain extensive damages on its mangrove forests. It is caused by conversion of mangrove areas, excessive logging, and pollution such as oil spills. Choosing between preserving mangroves or converting it, is a complicated matter. Sustainable development would be the best option.

8. Sea Transportation

For the world’s largest archipelagic state, adequate sea transportation facilities are necessary. Indonesia’s waters have become an important ship lines and trade routes since the 7^th century, the times of Srivijaya and Majapahit. However, Indonesia’s sea transportation sector is outclassed, particularly in construction technology, moving facilities, and deepwater port availability. Indonesia doesn’t have transshipment ports accommodating large transoceanic vessel. It causes Indonesia to lose billions of international reserves potential.

The slow development of sea transportation sector is caused by: domination of foreign ships, limited amount of domestic ships, and high risks in shipping safety.

9. Resources in Small Islands

10. Maritime Services and Industry

Maritime services and industry consist of shipbuilding industry and goods/logistic distribution. In this sector, Indonesia’s ships and shipyards condition are outclassed. Along with the moratorium on foreign ships, this sector deserves to be developed.

11. Unconventional Resources

INDONESIA GDP

Fishery subsector is placed under agriculture sector in the national field of business. Fishery subsector contribute 3.2% to the national GDP (CBS, 2014). The calculation of this value is measured from the contribution of the upstream industry. Thus, the macro indicator had been created to determine the contribution of the overall maritime and fisheries economic activity, including the scope of primary products, secondary products (industry), and tertiary products (services), namely GDP Satellite Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (Satelit KP). Satellite GDP contributes 4,32% from the national GDP (CBS, 2012).

The contribution of the Satelit KP to nation GDP is shown on Table 3. 

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INDUSTRIALIZATION OF MARINE PRODUCTS

From the previous section, it can be concluded that Indonesia’s problems are: inferior technology and human resources, unsupportive economic policy, unintegrated development of upstream and downstream, internationally substandard products, noncompetitive transportation facilities, as well as noninnovative and unsustainable development.

To build the mentality of “maritime nation”, several steps can be taken: strengthening laboratory and human resources capacity; development of world class ports and shipyard industry; development of coastal areas by establishing access of electricity, clean water, and energy; supportive information technology; and the last is industrialization of marine products. Several issues in the industry are as follows:

1. ·Limited raw materials and import dependence
2.  Unintegrated technology from the upstream to the processing
3.  No partnership between researchers and entrepreneurs in developing biotechnology for industrial application
4. Inept human resources

Marine products can be processed into derivative products as shown in Figure 1

Figure 1. Diagram of Marine Processing Industry (Ministry of Industry, 2010)

Marine products can be processed into various derivatives such as food, pharmacy, textile, livestock, and chemicals. By-products and wastes such as skins and bones are also useful. Philippines, Vietnam, and Malaysia are actively conducting research on marine processing by-products and wastes. It is easy to find books or journals regarding utilization of marine processing by-products and wastes.

The Ministry of Industry has set the development of four maritime industries in 2015-2019: (1) seaweed industry, (2) fish processing industry, (3) shipbuilding industry, (4) salt industry. An educated person such as a chemical engineering degree can participate in the industrialization of marine products by: determining the quality of materials; performing good and industrially integrated research management; arranging production effectivity and efficiency; and performing sustainable processing.

SEAWEED (AS EXAMPLE)

Seaweed is produced from two sources: direct harvest and cultivation. The world’s total seaweed production is 23.8 million tons, around 96% come from cultivation (FAO, 2012). Indonesia is the world’s second largest seaweed producer after China, producing 6.5 million tons or 27% of global production. In 2014, the  world’s total seaweeds production is 28,5 million tons (FAO, 2014) and Indonesia’s total seaweeds production reached 10,2 million tons (KKP, 2014). Hence, that will enable Indonesia to become the largest seaweed producer in the world.

Based on its derivatives, seaweed product can be classified into three groups: agar (Gracilaria sp., Gelidium sp.), carrageenan (Eucheuma sp., Euchuema cottoni), and alginate (Sargassum sp., Turbinaria sp.). These products are intermediate goods for food, cosmetics, etc. The most widely cultivated is Eucheuma cottonii, which has the largest national and international demand. The value chain of seaweed processing industry is shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2. Value Chain of Seaweed Processing Industry (Ministry of Industry, 2014)

Around 60% of national seaweed production is exported in the form of dried seaweed or without further processing. China and Philippine are more superior in seaweed processing. It is ironic, because they are importing seaweed from Indonesia. The inferior seaweed processing is caused by several factors: uncertainty in stock’s amount, quality, and fulfillment time; small scale processing technology; and expensive logistics costs.

Indonesia requires the development of integrated and sustainable upstream and downstream seaweed industry. In 2015, export value of processed seaweed was 45.2 million USD.

REVIVING NUSANTARA'S MARITIME GLORY

There are many industrialization opportunities for other commodities, particularly for high economic values one, such as shrimp, crab, tuna, skipjack, or mackerel. The Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fishery has set a target for 2019, that the Fishery GDP contributes 12% to National GDP. It is possible to achieve if relevant stakeholders cooperate in exploiting existing opportunities.

It is time to be aware of our strategic advantages. China’s ambition to seize the territory of South and East China Sea is not only driven by historical claims or their strategy to create a political diversion. But starting since 1947, it had became their ambition to rule the sea and they had drawn disputes with other nation such as Japan.

How about Indonesia? Can we be more expressive in upholding what we have?

Jalesveva jayamahe, di lautan kita berjaya.

Utari

Student of Chemical Engineering

Institut Teknologi Bandung.

SPECIAL THANKS

1. Arif Hadiyan
2. Ryan Fitrian Sofwan Fauzan

REFERENCES

Anonim. 2015. Sejarah Maritim Indonesia: Kajian Singkat. Diakses dari website http://maritimtours.com/sejarah-maritim-indonesia-kajian-singkat.html pada tanggal 5 Agustus 2016 pukul 13.46.

Anonim. 2015. Mengenang Kejayaan Majapahit sebagai Kerajaan Negara Maritim yang Kuat. Diakses dari website http://ppiuk.org/mengenang-kejayaan-majapahit-sebagai-kerajaan-negara-maritim-yang-kuat/ pada tanggal 4 Agustus 2016 pukul 10.21.

Anonim. 2009. Gas Hydrate: What It Is?. Diakses dari website http://web.archive.org/web/20120614141539/http:/woodshole.er.usgs.gov/project-pages/hydrates/what.html pada tanggal 10 Agustus 2016 pukul 19.34

Badan Pusat Statistik. 2011. Statistik Sumber Daya Laut dan Pesisir, Jakarta: Badan Pusat Statistik Indonesia.

Direktorat Jenderal Industri Agro dan Kimia. 2009. Roadmap Pengembangan Industri Pengolahan Hasil Laut, Jakarta: Departemen Perindustrian.

Dahuri, Rokhmin. “Teologi Negara Maritim”, Kompasiana. 2015.

Kementrian Perindustrian. 2016. Kemenperin Dorong Pembangunan Industri Berbasis Maritim. Diakses dari website http://www.kemenperin.go.id/artikel/10860/Kemenperin-Dorong-Pembangunan-Industri-Berbasis-Maritim pada tanggal 2 Agustus 2016 pukul 20.09.

Kementrian Perindustrian. 2016. Hilirisasi Rumput Laut Pacu Produksi dan Ekspor. Diakses dari website http://www.kemenperin.go.id/artikel/15525/Hilirisasi-Rumput-Laut-Pacu-Produksi-dan-Ekspor pada tanggal 3 Agustus 2016 pukul 01.43.

Nobleza, J. S. Value Chain Analysis for Seaweeds in Bohol, Cebu, and Guimaras. Department of Agriculture Philippine Rural Development Project.

Neish, I.C. 2007. Assesment of The Seaweed  Value Chain in Indonesia. US Agency For International Development.

Pusat Data, Statistik, dan Informasi, Kementrian Kelautan dan Perikanan. 2014. Analisis Data Pokok Kelautan dan Perikanan 2014, Jakarta: Kementrian Kelautan dan Perikanan

Puslitbang Geologi Kelautan. Gas Biogenik Sumber Energi Alternatif. Diakses dari website http://esdm.go.id/berita/42-geologi/3450-gas-biogenik-sumber-energi-alternatif-.html?tmpl=component&print=1&page= pada tanggal 10 Agustus 2016 pukul 19.59.

Sekretariat Dewan Kelautan Indonesia. 2009. Kebijakan Pembangunan Kelautan Didasarkan pada Analisis Input Output Kelautan, Jakarta: Departemen Kelautan dan Perikanan.

Schoell, M. 1988. Multiple Origins of Methane in The Earth. Chem. Geol. 71.

THINGS BEFORE GRADUATE

I have two months left to do things I have been wanting to do since years ago.
All the lists will be posted in this post.


March 9, 2016.

Been there, Bosscha!


July 28, 2016.

Mainin grand piano Sasana Budaya Ganesha sebelum tetangga sebelah (PSM-ITB) dateng.


July 31, 2016.

MAKAN TUTUT BANDUNG!!!!!

10 Things I Learned in College

After four years of incridible college life, I have learned few things.
Not including Bandung is a concrete jungle where dreams are made and nothing you can not do in this city.

1. People will stop ask you out if you don't go.

People tend to ask people who come out first on their mind. If we never go everytime we were invited, we will not be on their top of mind. As an introvert who enjoys a "me time", I often had hard times to resist the gravitational pull of my room. But we need to fight, sometimes.

2. If something is wrong with the person in the team, it is the failure for whole team.

In college, we had the opportunity to work with different types of people. In academic life alone, dozens of different groups had been formed. In here, we used to call teammates as "partner". It is very common to talk about partner's behind. Not as a hobby, this is usually done just to meet the outburst, as human being.

After all this time, I just realized that talking about our partner's weaknesses shows the failure of the team. Why? First, we may not well aware to the weaknesses of our own which might also disappointing. Secondly, when we talk about our partner's behind, then there we were talking about our own weaknesses. We are not able to work with our partners well as a team. So I believe, that is the failure for the whole team.

3. You can not please everyone.

No matter how hard you try. Leave it or you will be the only one who left unhappy.

4. When you are too afraid to make mistakes, you might be the one who has hardest time forgiving others' mistakes.

I divided the kind of person who is too afraid to make mistakes into two types:

1) The one who avoids the risks or hardly forgive himself.

2) The one who easily puts the blame on others.

If you are one of them, you might be the one who has hardest time forgiving others' mistakes. And if you are, believe me, the sorrow will always follow.

We really need to learn that we all make mistakes.

5. When people see good, they expect good.

But we don't have to live up people's expectation.

When people told us that we are not as good as they thought we are, ignore it. As long as we don't do bad things, people need to learn that we all have weakness. Secondly, people need to learn that we have our own reason about all the good things we didn't do.

But when people told us that we did a bad thing, that means they believe that we can be better than we are now. A little self-introspection would help, to be a better person we can be. 

6. Peer group is not a social taboo. 

Peer group can help people to form their identity. But it somehow is often misinterpreted as a "block". Children are less likely to accept those who are "different" from them. But teenagers and adults can form maturer social relationship.

Identity is a mental border, not a mental blocker.

Identity borders/defines who we are and what we believe, but it has to have pores as a border.

Karena kelompok sosial yang solid itu bukan tentang berkumpul dan melakukan segala sesuatunya bersama dengan pandangan yang sama, bukan tentang menyatukan semesta kelompok sosial menjadi kesatuan yang dense, tapi adalah tentang bagaimana setiap individu di dalamnya dapat berdifusi secara menyeluruh dan merata ke seluruh area yang tersebar seluas-luasnya.

And peer group itself is a home.

A place we will always come back to.

7. When you are angry, count to ten. When you are very angry, count to hundred.
Some said people show their true self when they are angry.

And that is the scariest line I have ever heard.

I have seen hundreds tragedies when people get angry. We say terrible things, and somehow end up feeling regret. At first I thought the scariest moment is when the most patient people get angry, I feel like I was losing them. But apparently, 

the worst feeling is when you lose yourself.

It is funny to conceive how angry can show people's true self but make them feel they are losing theirselves at the same time. And the solution is simple, don't get angry. Think of million terrible things that you might posibbly say when you are angry, how people judge you because of that, and those that you can never completely undo.  

8. Friendship takes time and work.

"Friendship takes time: time to get to know each other, time to build shared memories, time to invest in each other's growth."

Everyone does understand the concept. But sometimes most people don't realize that it is simply by sending our friends chats or texts, resist the gravitational pull of our confy bed and go to parties, arrange some time for lunch with our friends that don't live across the street, cook some meals and bring them to our school then eat them together with our friends, keep our friends' birthdates in the notes and sending them a short birthday messages. Some of us may not the one who are very fond of the today's social media or technologies. But those may be some tools that we can use to maintain our friendships.

We have to put in the effort to keep (or make) friends.

9. You are what you choose to be.
You are feeling sad about something, you get angry with people, you get good or bad grades, you are always late, you are not a morning person, you are treated good or bad, the major you took, the games that addict you, your successes and failures,

You are not what happened to you, but you are what you choose to be.

You can not blame anyone about all the things that happen to you. Nor your parents, friends, (ex)girl/boyfriend(s), neighborhoods, or else. Don't let your hatred or regrets consume you. Give some time for self reflection and keep moving on.

10. Chemical Engineering does really know how to make me fall in love.

Bachelor of Science.

15 Juni 2016.

"Kadang ujian itu tidak hanya diberikan Tuhan lewat sebuah kesulitan/kegagalan, tetapi juga lewat setiap kemudahan/kesuksesan yang kita dapatkan."

Masih banyak yang belum aku mengerti tentang-Mu.
Yang aku tahu, tak ada nikmat-Mu yang mampu aku dustakan.

Terima kasih Tuhan untuk yang ini.
Utari, S.T.

Dari Aku, Tentang Mereka.

Teknik Kimia,

Institut Teknologi Bandung.

Tempat yang memanusiakan aku selama 3 tahun.

"Sometimes You Miss The Moments, Not The People."

Kutipan di atas sungguh sangat berlaku bagi saya, membuat saya kadang melupakan yang indah tentang orang-orang di sekitar saya. Untuk itu, hari ini saya ingin mencoba menggambarkan mereka yang telah memberi saya banyak kenangan indah, juga pelajaran berharga selama 3 tahun terakhir.

Saya selalu merasa, menggambarkan seorang atau sekelompok kerabat di dunia perkuliahan sebagai satu angkatan adalah dosa. Bagaimana tidak, kamu harus mengenali mereka satu per satu untuk dapat menarik kesimpulan dari pandanganmu tentang mereka. Tapi hari ini, saya merasa sangat ingin untuk menggambarkan mereka ataupun momen bersama mereka sebagai satu angkatan.

Boleh dilanjutkan dengan bahasa Bekasi, ya?

Teknik Kimia ITB 2009.

Super swasta yang asik dan nggak bisa serius.

Nggak banyak orang yang bisa gue temuin dari angkatan ini. Tapi tetep, mereka punya goresan momen sendiri. Mulai dari diomelin dalam satu forum tersendiri oleh super swasta karna slayer osjur yang ilang-ilangan. Entah kenapa menurut gue momen ini sangat berkesan. Karena walaupun inti masalahnya terkesan sepele, banyak banget wejangan yang didapet di forum ini. Selain itu, ada juga beberapa kenangan diomelin waktu praktikum MPA, karena pada jamannya masih banyak dari mereka yang menjadi asisten laboratorium. Kehadiran mereka menyempurnakan horornya cerita tentang Laboratorium Dasar.

Mereka juga superswasta yang nggak absen di malam pelantikan HIMATEK 2012. Paling nggak serius aseli, dan bukannya takut, gue malah merasa super swasta ini lah buffer ketegangan malam pelantikan. Ngerjain abis-abisan, tapi nggak pake teriak-teriak. Pos paling asik pokoknya.

Yang terakhir, adalah tentang tradisi 3 tahunan. Ini tradisi yang paling menyenangkan menurut gue selama kuliah di ITB, entah kenapa. HIMATEK-ITB punya tradisi 3 tahunan dimana "Malam Super Swasta" saat osjur yang terkesan menegangkan, diganti dengan hura-hura satu hari bareng antara angkatan satu dan 3 angkatan di bawahnya. Tradisi ini dimulai oleh angkatan 2006. Padahal cuma kenal dengan sejumlah itungan jari dari mereka, tapi kerasa banget kekeluargaannya. Permainan yang dilakukan pun sebenarnya sederhana. Ditambah, momen ini terjadi tepat satu minggu setelah arak-arakan Wisuda Oktober yang priceless banget. Wisuda Oktober memang masa dimana angkatan 2012 bisa mulai bonding dengan 2009 yang tersisa di kampus. Sampe sekarang, malam itu masih jadi wisnite paling berkesan selama gue di HIMATEK. 

Teknik Kimia ITB 2010.
Swasta yang anomali. 
Gue nggak akan menjelaskan tentang asal mula angkatan ini dapat disebut sebagai anomali, mungkin hanya segelintir aja yang ngerti. Angkatan 2010 adalah swasta kesayangan yang koleksi pria tampan dan rupawannya paling tumpe-tumpe. Mau dari Indonesia Timur ke Barat, sampe kokoh-kokohnya bisa banget jadi sasaran fan-girling. Bisa dibilang, semangat osjur angkatan gue grafiknya meningkat segera setelah kami memasuki fasa ketemu swasta. Interaksi malam pun jadi sesuatu yang nggak boleh dilewatkan HAHAHA.

Angkatan 2010 masih jadi angkatan paling supel yang pernah gue temui. Kerja bareng mereka di sisa waktu keberadaan mereka di kampus pun banyak ngasih gue pelajaran secara kilat. Mereka nggak bakal ragu melibatkan lo dalam sesuatu yang padahal gak pernah lo kerjain atau pahamin, juga dengan sabar menjawab setiap pertanyaan-pertanyaan bodoh lo. Dan cuma angkatan ini yang bikin kegiatan bonding di kampus lebih kekeluargaan, mulai dari running man HIMATEK sampe tradisi dua tahunan.

Dan mungkin angkatan ini adalah angkatan yang komposisi main dan belajarnya paling pas. Yah nggak tau juga sih, jarang banget denger mereka ngeluh aja tentang akademik. Tapi bukan tipe ngegampangin juga. Lo bakal kena semprot ketika mereka mendengar lo meremehkan sesuatu, karena nggak ada yang bisa didapet tanpa kerja keras. Tapi lo juga bakal kena semprot ketika terlalu musingin suatu hal, karena ya "dibawa selow aja kaleee" gitu orang-orangnya. Pas lah pokoknya.

Ketika bicara tentang gaya memberikan nasihat sebagai seorang senior yang lebih berpengalaman, 2010 punya gaya tersendiri. Dengan perawakan luar yang mostly acakadut, mereka sangat lack of stok jutaan kata puitis dan bijak. Biasanya wejangan dari mereka selalu dimulai dengan kalimat-kalimat sampis, kemudian atmosfer keseriusan mulai meningkat, baru deh mereka pake kata-kata pamungkas yang bisa banget buat lo terhipnotis buat ngerespon "oh...iya sih kak iya, bener juga" atau "aku baru sadar sih kak.." sambil masang muka tablo dan end up feeling so helped.

Yang sangat patut dicontoh dari 2010 menurut gue adalah cara mereka untuk menempatkan diri. Maksudnya, mereka paling jago buat serius di tempat yang menuntut mereka harus serius. Tapi kalo lagi gak serius, mereka bisa jadi sosok-sosok yang berbeda 180 derajat. Pokoknya ini angkatan anomali banget lah. Entah kenapa, walaupun agak dangdut, dari hati terdalam gue selalu mendoakan semoga mereka selalu dapet hal-hal baik di luar sana. Karena di waktu interaksi gue dengan mereka yang sangat singkat, entah mengapa "ilmu" yang bisa gue serap dari mereka secara kilat cukup banyak. Wish you well always, kakak-kakak!

Teknik Kimia ITB 2011.
Terkakak.
Gue nggak merasa hubungan dengan angkatan satu ini dimulai dengan baik. Standar lah, namanya juga hubungan senior-junior pengosjur-diosjur. Setelah mencoba mengingat, kayaknya gue jarang banget punya momen manis di kampus dengan angkatan ini selama masa osjur. Kali pertama responsi bersama asisten matkul aja tegang banget kayak ngeliat guru SD lo bawa sabetan ke kelas.

Di mata gue, 2011 itu angkatan super ambis dengan prestasi akademik cemerlang yang pelit senyum dan kayak patung. Karna setiap kali lo ke himpunan/hotspot lo bakal ngeliat mereka duduk di depan laptop kayak patung. Hubungan "panas" dengan 2011 pun nggak berakhir di osjur, masih berlanjut dalam hubungan mahasiswa-asisten akademik sampai puncaknya: di labtek. Dari beberapa yang bisa gue kenal, cuma segelintir yang menurut gue bisa diteladani. Untungnya para segelintir ini, se-te-la-dan itu.

Setelah 2010 pergi, mau tidak mau 2012 harus bisa kerja bareng 2011. Di sinilah semua itu berawal. Dari keadaan "terpaksa" ini, malah timbul banyak ketidaksengajaan yang gue alami. Di masa-masa tinggal "berdua" di himpunan, gue justru secara tidak sengaja jadi mengenal lebih dekat banyak orang dari mereka. Dan seketika gue sadar, 2011 punya banyak manusia super.

Se-ba-nyak-i-tu.

Pikiran gue jadi super terbuka, pandangan gue pun berubah. Dari yang "cuma segelintir yang bisa diteladani" berubah jadi tak hingga role model. Dari mereka gue sadar kalo sebenernya semua orang bisa banget jadi role model, semua orang punya sisi baik yang bisa diteladani, dan sisi buruk yang nggak perlu terlalu lo pusingin atau lo judge.

Mulai dari kedisiplinan; hardwork; menjadi kakak yang baik; keberanian buat nyoba hal baru; gotong-royong; berani ambil risiko; tanggung jawab; keseimbangan dalam hidup; sampe kesampisan yang pastinya jadi warna banget buat hari-hari lo; plus idealisme lain tentang datang tepat waktu, anti nyontek, tata krama, atau titip absen bisa gue dapetin dari angkatan ini. 2011 punya pesona sendiri di mata gue. "Work Hard, Play Hard" bukan cuma sekedar kiasan buat mereka. Dan oleh 2011 gue merasa kalo sedang diayomi sebagai seorang adik.

Wisuda Juli 2015 menurut gue masa-masa yang paling bikin baper karena lebih dari setengah angkatan 2011 hijrah dari kampus. Nggak ada lagi orang-orang yang bisa jadi tempat manja manja. Yes, manja. Terkesan dangdut tapi setelah mereka pergi gue baru sadar jadi kakak itu nggak gampang. Sedikit mengutip kata-kata Plaza Widya, 2011 itu tempat gue bertanya dan selalu ada jawabnya. They really are my mentor(s).


Teknik Kimia ITB 2012.
Simbol kebaikan Tuhan yang menakdirkan aku menjadi bagian darimu.

From these people I realize that friendship is not only about doing stupid things together, sharing laughs, and ghibah, but friends also could piss you off, break your heart, and make you cry. This way you could learn from each other. Some people judge their lives on who they are, others on what they do. I want my life judged on how enriched I am from just knowing these people. 

P.S. I will continue this story later after my examination.


Teknik Kimia ITB 2013.
Dedek-dedek gemesh.
Sahitya Adikari udah jadi sosok-sosok menggemaskan sejak gue ketemu sama mereka untuk pertama kalinya di osjur. Anak-anaknya cacat, sampis, punya gaya khas setiap mengekspresikan humor mereka, dan SUPER KRITIS. Mungkin salah satu yang bikin ngosjur capek tuh ya mereka, pertanyaan dan kritikannya nggak pernah bisa diantisipasi, walaupun pernah disimulasikan sekalipun (atau mungkin 2012nya aja yang tetep kurang kreatif dalam melakukan simulasi, saking nggak mau mikir, hahaha). Jangankan danlap, pasukan barikade di sekeliling aja kadang suka terpaksa ikut mikir dan pusing. Interaksi sama mereka selalu melelahkan lah pokoknya. Yet gue tetap merasa interaksi saat ngosjurin mereka adalah waktu yang selalu gue nantikan. Selama masih periode osjur, weekend tuh waktu yang dinanti banget pokoknya. The true weekend tempat dimana lo recharge energi setelah 5 hari kuliah.

Well, sebagaimana takdir tipe hubungan dengan angkatan yang berbeda satu tahun, 2013 merupakan partner kerja sekaligus tempat curhat yang nggak bisa lepas dari kehidupan gue. Sedikit berbeda dengan gaya hubungan dengan 2011 yang lebih seperti adik-kakak, 2013 bisa mencakup sosok adik sekaligus partner in crime. Angkatan tempat sampah banget lah pokoknya.

Kalo mau menggali ingatan terbaru yang masih fresh, di mata gue angkatan 2013 sekarang udah banyak berubah. Entah karena efek tingkat 3, atau memang jati diri mereka sebenarnya sudah keluar (?) Tingkat 3 selalu jadi momok yang bisa dengan seketika bikin lo super kayak patung di depan laptop dan fakir senyum. Ke-super-ambisannya mungkin melebihi 2011, ditambah prestasi akademik gemilang hahaha. Belom lagi, dari yang tingkat kecacatannya bisa bikin lo geleng kepala, angkatan ini tiba-tiba berubah jadi angkatan yang super pemikir banget. Sampe kadang gue malu sendiri liat mereka. Atau mungkin karena dari awal mereka punya bibit-bibit kritis? Entahlah. Tapi gue merasa sangat kehilangan sosok yang bisa banget bikin beberapa orang di angkatan gue dengan dangdutnya bilang "yaelah gue mah males kalo bukan karena 2013 asik-asik".

Tapi sekali lagi, gue selalu bersyukur karena dipertemukan sama angkatan ini oleh Tuhan. Kayaknya angkatan ini yang bikin himpunan paling rame di awal kedatangannya. Sampe one day mereka pernah sengaja mengadakan "tour de himpunan" tanpa ada rasa tengsin atau malu-malu, termasuk dengan niat keras belajar cara buka pintu himpunan. Cacat lah, seniornya cuma bisa pelangak-pelongok liatnya. Plusnya adalah lo banyak banget belajar kosakata baru kayak "sis", "cemana", dan ribuan kosakata enteng lainnya yang bisa bikin lo terus keingetan sama mereka. Walaupun ada sedikit rasa kehilangan sosok dedek gemesh yang kerjaannya tawa-tawa meleee, tapi mereka adalah sosok-sosok pertama yang bikin gue inget kalo gue harus do better dan growing up. Dan gue selalu tidak mau melewatkan masa-masa melihat mereka berkembang dan tumbuh untuk jadi pribadi yang lebih baik.


Teknik Kimia ITB 2014.
The most amazing thing I have ever met.
Whoaa, mendeskripsikan mereka memaksa gue terlebih dahulu membuat (sekaligus memangkas) list berisi poin-poin penting yang harus gue ceritakan tentang mereka. Banyak. Banget.

Gue orang yang percaya bahwa momen-momen awal itu sangat berharga. Ketika lo bisa dapet momen berkesan di awal, nggak peduli betapa jauhnya lo terpisah atau betapa seringnya tidak berinteraksi, lo nggak bakal ragu buat "balik lagi". Namun, berbeda dengan kedatangan orang-orang baru lainnya yang selalu membuat gue merasa excited, gue merasa banyak kehilangan momen awal bersama angkatan ini. Kedatangan mereka di Teknik Kimia teredam dengan kesibukan Kerja Praktek, Penelitian, atau kegiatan lainnya yang sukses jadi distraksi. Namun, kepesimisan gue untuk bisa making good memories bareng mereka sirna setelah akhirnya kenal dengan mereka.

Impresi pertama ketika lo mengenal mereka pasti bakal seragam: angkatan hura-hura. Kerjaannya ngebanyol, jalan-jalan, ketawa-tawa, ngeles, banyak banci tampil, dan yah, hura-hura pokoknya. Mereka adalah dedek-dedek ngegemesin yang sekaligus bisa jadi partner hura-hura terbaik sepanjang masa, plus "nyenengin" banget. Dan percayalah makna "nyenengin" di sini sangat dalam. Karena setiap menghabiskan waktu bareng mereka, lo cuma bisa ngerasain yang namanya "senang" dan sense lo buat merasakan jenis perasaan lainnya seolah-olah mati. Amazing banget.

So far, mereka adalah angkatan dengan jumlah performer wisuda terbanyak kayaknya di HIMATEK (50 gitu? atau 60?). Dan gue sangat tidak ragu untuk mengatakan bahwa perform Wisuda Oktober mereka adalah yang terbaik selama 4 tahun gue menyaksikan perform wisuda HIMATEK di kampus.

Tapi, setelah menjalani hari-hari bersama mereka setahun terakhir di kampus, gue sadar kalo mereka bukan cuma sekedar angkatan hura-hura.

The entire ocean in a drop.

Mungkin ini kata-kata yang paling bisa menggambarkan angkatan 2014. Lo sangat bisa menemukan jenis manusia apapun disini. Orang-orang dengan idealisme cukup tinggi, orang-orang polos yang masih sangat naif, yang gak tahan kalo gak curhat, yang entah kenapa nggak pernah ngeluh, yang ambis, yang mager, yang tingkat semangat kajiannya overdosed, yang kritis, yang gak bisa bikin lo gak berenti ketawa, yang kerjaannya bikin lo geleng kepala, yang jago banget buat lo stay saat ngeghibah bareng, yang dangdut dan roman picisan, yang super all out, yang bisa diajak ngomong penting dan gak penting, pokoknya sosok-sosok yang bisa bikin lo mikir "I have never felt this way before" atau "this one is amazing".

Dan anehnya, apapun karakter mereka, pasti punya dosis kemanisan dalam diri mereka. Mulai dari mulut sampe the way they treat others. Manis. Banget. Mungkin ini kaliya yang bisa seketika mematikan sense perasaan lo yang lain selain perasaan seneng ketika lagi bareng mereka.

Gue punya doa (dan harapan) yang selalu coba gue panjatkan buat mereka.

Pertama adalah semoga mereka cepet sadar bahwa mereka adalah angkatan yang punya potensi sangat besar dalam banyak hal. Setiap individu dari mereka punya pesona sendiri yang nggak bakal berenti bikin lo amazed. Dan apalagi ketika mereka all out sebagai sebuah kesatuan angkatan, gue 1000% yakin mereka bakal sukses membuat dunia kebingungan.  

Kedua adalah doa untuk melindungi ketakutan gue akan mereka yang mungkin merasa "Ayah, mengapa aku berbeda?". Well, gue nggak pernah bener-bener tau apa yang mereka rasakan ketika "bergaul" di himpunan. Mungkin beberapa merasa biasa aja. Hanya saja entah kenapa gue selalu merasa mereka adalah segerombolan gifted children dengan muka tablo dan masih polos sedang mencari tangan yang mau menuntun, sayangnya nggak ada satupun sosok (ataupun tipe angkatan) yang mampu mengimbangi karakter mereka. Yap, selama bertemu dengan 5 angkatan disini, menurut gue nggak ada yang fit in untuk posisi itu. They really are different. Dan gue hanya bisa berdoa potensi mereka tidak akan terbunuh hanya karena itu, semoga mereka tetap bisa menyerap hal-hal baik disekitar mereka, walaupun semuanya belum cukup untuk ukuran gifted children dengan kapasitas penyerapan sangat besar seperti mereka.

Ketiga, ini mungkin tidak terdengar seperti doa. Tapi berbeda dengan harapan gue untuk selalu bisa melihat 2013 tumbuh besar, gue malah berharap 2014 selalu stay as it is. Gue nggak siap melihat mereka "gede", layaknya seorang anak yang merengek minta papa mamanya buat bikinin dedek kecil yang yaudah plis kecil terus aja biar lucu bisa dicubit terus, karena kalo udah gede biasanya ngeselin dan suka ngajak berantem. Sama halnya kayak punya anak kucing. I am really not ready yet to see them growing up, even they--still are growing up anyway :)

Angkatan 2014 buat gue adalah (semoga menjadi) penutup yang paling manis dan sempurna untuk hari-hari gue di Teknik Kimia.

Teknik Kimia ITB 2015.
Looking forward to the moment when I can know them better. Yah, satu atau dua memori gapapalah.

I'll see you soon!


Note:
Those were my personal opinion, some of you may not feel or think the same way, and please don't feel offended.

Final Term Syndrom

Che NIGHT 2016 - Perform Angkatan Teknik Kimia 2012

Che NIGHT 2015 - Perform Angkatan Teknik Kimia 2012

Mars Angkatan Teknik Kimia ITB 2012