AIYA MEMBER SPOTLIGHT – VANIA DJUNAIDI
Welcome back to Member Spotlight where we introduce you to the personalities behind AIYA. This week, we introduce you to our AIYA’s Graphic Designer!
Welcome back to Member Spotlight where we introduce you to the personalities behind AIYA. This week, we introduce you to our AIYA’s Graphic Designer!
This article was originally published by The Conversation.
All hell broke loose during the Wentworth by-election when Prime Minister Scott Morrison suddenly announced that he was thinking of moving of Australia’s embassy in Israel from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.
The main objections came, not on merits of the idea itself, but on whether it would upset Indonesia, the nation with whom Australia had just completed a landmark, but unsigned, free trade agreement and the nation with the world’s largest Muslim population.
The agreement is now unlikely to be signed for quite some time. In a face to face meeting with Indonesian President Joko Widodo last week that was intended to clear the way, Morrison was instead pressed about the Middle East.
But how important is the Indonesian trade relationship really? And would it be folly to sacrifice it on the altar of Middle East politics?
Australia and Indonesia have been entwined for a long time.
What is now Indonesia is almost certainly the Australian continent’s oldest trading partner.
Indigenous Australians fished and traded sea cucumber and other goods with their Makassan counterparts from at least the least the early 1700’s. Makassar is in the south-west corner of the Indonesian province of Sulawesi.
Australia provided critical support as what was then known as the Dutch East Indies fought for independence from the Dutch after the end of the second world war.
The Australian government provided medical supplies. Australian waterside workers refused to load Dutch ships.
These close ties continued 50 years later during the late 1990s Asian financial crisis when the Reserve Bank of Australia clashed with the International Monetary Fund and Clinton administration, who wanted to impose tough conditions on Indonesia in return for bailing it out.
Australia’s Treasurer Peter Costello took the advice of Reserve Bank Deputy Governor Stephen Grenville, who had been a diplomat in Jakarta, and stared down the IMF and the United States.
As a result the Indonesian economy fared much better, recovered more quickly and avoided much of damage endured by other developing economies that had done as the IMF wanted.
Two decades on, Indonesia is one of Australia’s top 15 trade partners, worth A$16.5 billion in two-way trade, and one of the biggest markets for Australian education.
In many ways, Indonesia is underdone as a partner for Australia.
It houses abound 262 million people but only around 250 Australian companies of any size, compared to more than 3,000 in China.
Among the companies that do have a big presence are the ANZ, Leightons, the Commonwealth Bank, Orica and Bluescope.
Its attractions are a massive and growing urban middle class and its need for infrastructure given the logistical challenges of connecting a huge population living across over 17,000 islands.
A free trade agreement is important to both sides, whatever political rhetoric President Widodo might need to employ to hold off his fundamentalist opponents.
Morrison told Widodo he would decide on the location of Australia’s Israel embassy by Christmas. The trade deal is likely to be signed soon after.
“Democracy for Prosperity: Youth Perspectives”
From 6 -7 December 2018, 137 students from various universities across 58 countries gathered in Nusa Dua, Bali, Indonesia to participate in the 2nd Bali Democracy Students Conference (BDSC II), held in parallel with the 11th Bali Democracy Forum (BDF). There were three delegates from Australia, ourselves and Tristan Croft.
We discussed issues and shared our views on the challenges of making democracy that delivers prosperity particularly with regard to pertinent issues such as education, politics, gender, technology, innovation, prosperity, and social media.
Tom Lembong mendiskusikan ekonomi Indonesia serta hubungan bilateral dengan Australia
Bertepatan dengan Konferensi Australia Indonesia Business Council (AIBC) 2018 di Gold Coast awal bulan lalu, AIYA berkesempatan mewawancarai Kepala BKPM, Bapak Thomas Lembong yang hadir mewakili pemerintah Indonesia. Turut menjadi salah satu pembicara utama di konferensi, mantan Menteri Perdagangan itu berbagi pandangan mengenai visi Indonesia menuju kemakmuran di tengah perubahan ekonomi dan tren global.
Konferensi Australia Indonesia Business Council (AIBC) 2018 yang berlangsung pada tanggal 11 hingga 13 November 2018 diselenggarakan di Gold Coast, Queensland. Dengan mengangkat tema ‘Partnering for Prosperity in a World of Change’ (Bermitra untuk Kemakmuran di Tengah Perubahan Dunia), konferensi ini menekankan pentingnya memperkuat hubungan kedua negara dan mengatasi tantangan-tantangan dalam rangka mencapai kemakmuran bersama.
AIBC Chapters Presidents beserta Duta Besar Indonesia untuk Australia, Bapak Kristiarto Legowo dan Konsulat Jeneral Bapak Heru Subolo.
photo credit: PPIA Macquarie
Sebagai salah satu destinasi terpopuler bagi para pelajar Indonesia, Australia merupakan rumah kedua oleh satu dari empat pelajar yang belajar di luar negeri. Berimbang dengan statistik itu sendiri, hal ini memungkinkan untuk para pelajar Indonesia yang tergabung dalam PPIA (Perhimpunan Pelajar Indonesia Australia) untuk memiliki komunitas yang solid. Telah menjadi tradisi bagi PPIA yang tersebar di berbagai pelosok Australia untuk mengadakan acara tahunan sebagai ajang untuk mempromosikan budaya, seni, bahasa, serta untuk menyatukan warga Indonesia yang rindu akan negara kelahiran mereka.
Para mahasiswa dari Universitas Macquarie dengan bangga mempersembahkan salah satu acara terbesar PPIA yang dinamai Soundquriang, The V Act (Soundquriang, Babak kelima). Acara yang diselenggarakan di City Recital Hall Sydney ini dimeriahkan oleh salah satu band tebesar Indonesia Sheila On 7, vokal grup populer HIVI!, serta dimeriahkan oleh The East and Friends, pemecah rekor MURI Michael Anthony dan pagelaran budaya Indonesia, Tari Kecak.
Sengaja datang awal, Blog Editor AIYA, mengikuti kegiatan tim PPIA Macquarie bersiap serta untuk mengenal lebih dalam otak kreatif di balik mereka yang mempersiapkan malam yang megah tersebut.
Pengarahan tim sebelum acara dimulai
Sementara penyelenggara tengah bersibuk mempersiapkan Sounquriang, dengan tipikal kehebohan dari penampilan langsung, para penonton mulai berdatangan sejak jam 4 sore meski acara baru akan dimulai pada pukul 6 malam. Jam 4.45 saat pintu utama dibuka untuk pengambilan dan pembelian tiket, para komite yang terdiri dari 30 mahasiswa tersebut berpencar menjalankan tugas mereka masing-masing baik membantu para penonton, mempersiapkan panggung, hingga menjual cenderamata.
Soundquriang the V Act merupakan acara terbesar yang pernah PPIA Macquarie adakan dengan 1.200 tiket terjual, 100% keuntungan yang didapat akan disumbangkan kepada Rumah Faye, rumah singgah untuk korban perdagangan anak yang berpusat di Jakarta. Diakui oleh Joshua sebagai Komite Marketing, peningkatan dari Soundquriang sejak tahun ke tahun tidak lah terjadi dalam seketika. Dibutuhkan 6 bulan untuk tim PPIA Macquarie untuk mempersiapkan Soundquriang di tahun yang kelima ini. Baginya pembelajaran terbesar dalam berorganisasi adalah diasahnya kemampuan kepemimpinan mereka. Baginya dan tim, tantangan terbesar yang mereka temui adalah untuk dapat melakukan segalanya bersamaan dengan tugas kuliah yang mereka emban.
Meski dengan memiliki 30 orang di dalam tim, Joshua mengaku terkadang merasa kewalahan dengan tugas dan tanggung jawab yang ada seperti proses melobi dan mengambil keputusan. Dia juga mengajak para pelajar Indonesia lainnya untuk ikut serta menyumbang tenaga dan ide kreatif dengan bergabung dalam tim di tahun mendatang. Saat menjawab apa yang akan dipersembahkan tim PPIA Macquarie tahun depan, Joshua menjawab sembari bercanda,“kami belum tahu tepatnya namun saya ingin semua ini berakhir dulu,” menjelaskan seberapa banyak kerja keras yang telah ditaruh untuk merealisasikan acara ini. “Kami harap semuanya berjalan dengan lancar dan semua dapat menikmati acaranya, untuk sekarang itu saja harapan saya.” Sambungnya dengan penuh harap dan percaya diri.
Pengambilan dan pembelian tiket yang dilakukan diadakan di City Recital Hall Sydney
Acara dimulai dengan kata pengantar dan ucapan terima kasih oleh Fionita dan Richard, masing-masing sebagai Project Manager dan Venue Coordinator. The East and Friends membuka babak pertama dengan membawakan lagu-lagu nasional seperti Indonesia Pusaka, Dari Sabang Sampai Merauke, hingga lagu-lagu daerah seperti Sinagar Tulo and Kincir-Kincir.
The East and Friends membuka babak pertama ditemani penari-penari adat Indonesia
Soundquriang the V Act dihadiri oleh Bapak Heru Subolo selaku Komjen RI untuk NSW, Bapak Heru menggunakan kesempatan ini untuk menghimbau para masyarakat yang hadir untuk mendaftarkan diri untuk pemilihan umum presiden yang diselenggarakan pada pertengahan April mendatang. Beliau juga menekankan betapa pentingnya peran warga negara Indonesia untuk menjadi stakeholder dalam memperkenalkan budaya, seni, dan lagu Indonesia di luar negeri dalam mewujudkan ‘The Modern Indonesia’.
Pak Heru memberikan satu dua patah kata bersama dengan pembawa acara, Darian
Michael Anthony Kwok dengan bakatnya membuka babak kedua, Michael yang mencuri perhatian para hadirin dengan permainan pianonya memainkan lagu-lagu nasional Indonesia hinnga ke lagu tema Asian Games, Meraih Bintang (Yo Ayo). Michael juga pemecah rekor MURI sebagai pianis tuna netra-autistik termuda Indonesia. Remaja 15 tahun ini belajar musik (piano) secara otodidak dengan mendengar sejak umur 3 tahun. Bakatnya diketahui secara tidak sengaja saat keluarga Kwok menyadari Michael memainkan lagu iklan yang baru didengarnya dan sejak saat itu Michael telah menguasai ratusan lagu lainnya. Tak hanya telah bermain di Belanda, Michael juga telah mengadakan pertunjukan solonya di Sydney Opera House.
Michael Kwok, jenius yang memukau para hadirin dengan musiknya
Seiring berjalan dengan malam, salah satu dari bintang utama, HIVI! membawakan babak ketiga dengan lagu-lagu hits mereka seperti Remaja, Pelangi, Kereta Kencan dan membawa antusiasme penonton. HIVI! melalui lagu-lagu cinta mereka membawa kehangatan serta romantisme ke dalam recital hall, mengajak para fans untuk ikut bernyanyi dan menari. HIVI! menggunakan kesempatan pertama mereka di panggung Sydney untuk berterima kasih kepada hadirin yang memungkinkan mereka untuk tampil di Australia serta harapan mereka untuk menghibur para hadirin kembali di masa depan melalui karya-karya mereka.
Kekompakan HIVI! di atas panggung
Sebelum melangkah ke puncak acara, babak keempat merupakan pemanasan dari inti malam yang paling ditunggu-tunggu. Menampilkan kontemporari interpretasi dari Tari Kecak yang dibawakan oleh para pelajar untuk yang pertama kali dengan bantuan dari komunitas Tari Kecak di Sydney.
Penampilan para pelajar Indonesia dalam mempromosikan budaya Indonesia melalui Tari Kecak
Duta dan band mengguncang panggung Soundquriang dengan hits mereka
Meski mengalami sedikit kendala teknis, sisa dari malam berjalan dengan baik dengan pembawa acara Darian yang menggunakan kesempatan itu untuk berinteraksi dengan para penonton. Eksistensi Sheila On 7 selama 22 tahun di industri musik Indonesia dibuktikan dengan kehebohan yang terjadi saat Duta dan teman-teman tampil di atas panggung. Penampilan yang terasa seperti konser solo itu membawa para penonton turun dari duduk mereka dan bernyanyi mengiringi Sheila di panggung. Duta mengekspresikan rasa terima kasihnya diberikan kesempatan perdana mereka menghibur penonton di Australia. Dan malam yang akrab itu pun ditutup dengan sebuah lagu encore.
The night through a lense, photo credit: Disty
Terima kasih untuk keramahan dan bantuan dari teman-teman PPIA Macquarie kepada AIYA.
Jika ada teman-teman yang mengadakan acara yang berhubungan dengan Australia-Indonesia dan ingin acara tersebut diliput oleh kami, silahkan kirim kan kami email di [email protected]
When you live far away from your home country and heard the news that one of the islands from where you came from has been struck with a natural disaster, it is heartbreaking. The distance from where you are currently living to Indonesia has suddenly stretched twice as far, and a sense of loss pours over any Indonesians who are living abroad. However, with sadness comes a call for unity of the people who share the same culture and land that you were born in.
The death toll of the Lombok earthquake in August is over 600 people and estimated 400,00 people are displaced out of their homes (Massola & Rosa, 2018). Recently, the Central Sulawesi earthquake and tsunami at the end of September caused more than the death of 1000 people, more than 5000 people missing and leaving more than 60,000 people displaced (Kahfi, 2018, Jakarta Post).
With the cumulation of devastations occurring in Indonesia, I collaborated with the Australian Indonesia Youth Association NSW Chapter to unite both Australians and Indonesians, young and old, in a day of Indonesian cultural exchange as a fundraising initiative for the people of Lombok and Palu. All proceeds will go to the Agung Siaga Community, a volunteer logistic and information hub, based in Bali, founded to aid the displaced evacuees of the volcanic activity of Mt Agung. They are now aiding towards the survivors of the Lombok and Central Sulawesi disasters, through the delivery of food, medical supplies, water filters, blankets and solar panels.
Last weekend AIYA visited Purwakarta to teach AFL and English to the excited students of SD and SMP at Islam Al Ghozali.
Over the course of the weekend, we engaged the kids in Australian culture teaching them songs from the Sydney Swans and Hawthorn chants to a few other favourites such as, Home Among the Gumtrees, I Still Call Australia Home and Downunder. As well as this, we taught the students the importance of learning English and had some invaluable conversations about themselves, their families and their friends.
One of the highlights would have been the AFL coaching clinic and teaching the students the rules and skills of the game. Unsurprisingly, most of them picked it up much faster than myself and the other mentors. The students then exchanged some Indonesian culture with us and we watched incredible performances of Pencak Silat and the song, Que Sera Sera.
Overall, we had a great weekend and learnt as much from the students as they learnt from us. We were so grateful to have been invited by Bapak Ery and Bapak Iwan and thankful for the entire communities hospitality. We can’t wait to be back in Purwakarta to visit!!
This week, we gain insight into AIYA’s very own National President, Nicholas Mark as he shares his favourite things about Indonesia, his long-standing involvement with AIYA and his hopes for the bilateral relationship! Welcome Nick!
What is your occupation?
I am a lawyer at Kemp Strang in Sydney, practising in banking, finance and property law. I also aim to pursue Australia-Indonesia creative projects where possible, and I have previously written an Indonesians children’s book, Petualangan Anak Indonesia, and also assisted DFAT as writer on their Next Door Land edu-game and digital diplomacy app.
What is your favourite places to visit in Indonesia?
Jakarta (especially for the food and escape rooms) & Yogya (for the ACICIS nostalgia).
Favourite meal in Indonesia?
Bamboo-smoked grilled fish (ikan bakar dalam bambu) from Karimata in south-east Jakarta (legend has it that the secret recipe sambal is only known by the owner/head chef, which he then divvies out to three separate people to prepare different elements before they are combined). Maknyus.
How about your favourite words in Indonesian?
Polisi tidur, kejeduk, cekukan, ngopi, luar biasa & semangat.
Do you have a favourite Indonesian film?
I love watching any and all Indonesian films. My top two would have to be Janji Joni and The Raid 2: Berandal. My other favourites are Langitku Rumahku, Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts, Tiga Dara (1956), Petualangan Sherina, the AADC films, Cek Toko Sebelah, Mendadak Dangdut, Tabula Rasa & even Cinta di Perth.
How did you first become interested in Indonesia?
Fortunately, it was compulsory for me to learn Bahasa Indonesia in years 7-8, and also for one term in year 5. I was hooked straight away, and then took it as an elective up until the HSC, continued at university and did an ACICIS semester at UGM.
What was getting involved with AIYA like?
Before AIYA was created, there were relatively few opportunities for young Australians and Indonesians with an interest in the other’s country to connect with each other outside of a university context or to actively collaborate or participate in larger Australia-Indonesia initiatives. It was a privilege to be part of the team that got AIYA NSW up and running back in late 2012 and I have been involved as much as possible ever since to help grow the impact and reach of the organisation across both countries.
Any hopes for the bilateral relationship?
For both Australians and Indonesians, especially youth, to generally take increasingly greater interest in each other. That personal interest will spark future collaborations and build stronger ties at all levels. We are incredibly different neighbours with a lot to learn from each other.
What do you like most about AIYA?
The dedication of all the volunteers involved. The continued growth of our diverse online and offline activities. The opportunities and connections forged across the organisation (including getting to meet my now-wife when organising the AIYA NSW launch!).
Sum up your experience as an AIYA member in three words!
Rewarding. Inspiring. Seru.
AIYA is seeking submissions from individual members for the 2018 AIYA Annual, and we want to hear from you!
In last year’s 2017 AIYA Annual, we received an amazing range of original material from our talent AIYA members, and we are excited to feature your work again this year!
Some ideas for your piece can include, but are certainly not limited to:
But feel free to get creative! You may even like to expand/update an earlier piece you have written for the AIYA blog. If you’re an AIYA chapter committee member, you’re also welcome to contribute a piece as an individual member (alongside the input from your chapter). Submissions can be in English or Bahasa Indonesia.
The best pieces will be selected for publication in the AIYA Annual, to be released in December 2018.
Please direct your submissions to [email protected] by 11 November, 2018.
In the meantime, if you have any questions or need some creative direction don’t hesitate to get in touch!
Jayne Fendyk Zahrina Aditya (‘Adit’)
Chief Editor Assistant Editor
AIYA Annual AIYA Annual