Perak Media Official Visit to Medan, Indonesia

In collaboration with Kelab Sukan & Kebajikan Media Perak (in English: Perak Media Sports and Welfare Club), Persatuan Kontraktor Melayu Malaysia Negeri Perak (Perak Malay Contractors Association Malaysia) invited some thirty media representatives from Perak for an official visit to Medan, Indonesia.

The objective was to strengthen the working relationship between media counterparts in both countries, and ultimately within members of ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Both Malaysia and Indonesia are members of ASEAN.

The three-day visit to Medan saw the delegation, led by the Chairman of Persatuan Kontraktor Melayu Malaysia Negeri Perak (PKMM) Datuk Wira Jamaluddin Bin Hj. Abdul Rahim (Uncle Jamal) making its first stop at the private university of Universitas Panca Budi.

Prior to going on a walking tour within the six-hectare main campus in Daerah Halvetia in Medan, the delegates were given a brief of the university and the courses offered.

Unlike other universities, Universitas Panca Budi educates students from kindergarten level right up to postgraduate studies. There are currently about 35,000 students, where 10,000 of them are taking degree courses. The university is well-known for its engineering, business, education and agricultural faculties.

Since a year ago, the university has entered into a joint venture with University Sains Malaysia (USM) to offer an e-learning programme, the first Indonesian university to conduct e-learning courses by a Malaysian university.

Despite receiving zero financial support from the government, simply because there are 3,300 universities in Indonesia, it aims to achieve a World Class University status by 2033. It is currently the top university in North Sumatra.

During our visit to the university, Datuk Wira Jamaluddin donated Rp3,000,000 to the institution of higher learning. His donation was matched by other committee members of PKMM who are also in the delegation: Rp3,000,000 from Tuan Hj. Jamil Bin Ariffin as well as Rp1,000,000 each from Tuan Haji Ibnu Ruslan Bin Haji Mohd. Termizi and Tuan Syed Badrul.

PKMM also donated Rp3,000,000. The total of Rp11,000,000 came up to be approximately MYR3500.

Members of the press from Perak were arranged to have dinner with the committee members of Kelab UMNO Medan (UMNO Club Medan), where Datuk Wira Jamaluddin has been the club’s adviser for the past fifteen years. Uncle Jamal has since been tasked with a heavier responsibility to advise all UMNO Clubs in Indonesia. There are fourteen such clubs in the country.

Over Nasi Padang at Rumah Makan & Buffet Famili, members of the club, who are university students in Medan, shared with us their challenges in keeping the spirit of UMNO alive, particularly after they have completed their studies and have returned to Malaysia to pursue their respective careers.

Of the approximately 1100 Malaysian students in Indonesia, about 400 of them are members of Kelab UMNO Medan. The club has been awarded “Top 5 UMNO Clubs in the World” for the past four consecutive years, out of almost eighty such clubs in the world.

Said Uncle Jamal, “It takes a lot of time, money and of course passion to run a youth political club like this. Although the club has received the recognition as one of the best clubs in the world, it needs stronger support from the government in order for them to secure their own political future.”

On the following day, these delegates from Perak were honoured guests of North Sumatra Governor Ir. H. Tengku Erry Nuradi, M.Si who hosted an official luncheon for us at his residence.

The event was also attended by members of Persatuan Wartawan Indonesia (PWI) Provinsi Sumatera Utara (North Sumatra Press Club).

Representatives from PWI signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Persatuan Wartawan Muslim (PWM) Perak, Malaysia, to foster a closer working relationship between the two parties, particularly in the area of journalism.

With this MoU signed, these two parties can learn from each other through different activities that will be held. It is win-win relationship that benefits both sides.

Bapak Tengku Erry said, “This is the first time journalists from both countries are collaborating in their common field.

“I am optimistic this will be a great experience for both media practitioners from Perak and North Sumatra.”

In the evening, the delegates were received by the Lord Mayor of Medan City Bapak Dzulmi Eldin. He, too, was confident that our official visit would bring a positive impact to both cities, not only in journalism but also in other industries such as business and tourism.

“This visit to Medan will give Perak journalists a first-hand experience of our city. Your positive impression of Medan is important to us and we hope that through the sharing of knowledge and by comparing our cities, we are able to learn and build up each other,” he said.

Following dinner was a serious discussion on the role of the media in the era of ASEAN Economic Community (MEA). The dialogue resulted in the establishment of a forum for communication between journalists from ASEAN nations, beginning with Indonesia and Malaysia.

The ten-point declaration was signed by the head of Persatuan Wartawan Indonesia (PWI) Provinsi Sumatera Utara, Indonesia, H. Hermansjah and President of Kelab Sukan & Kebajikan Media Perak (KSKMP) Wan Asrudi Wan Hasan, as well as their respective secretaries.

The declaration was supported by all press members who were present at the dialogue, which was hosted at Medan Club.

Photos by Kelab Sukan & Kebajikan Media Perak (KSKMP) and Emily2U.

Event: Perak Media Official Visit to Medan, Indonesia
Venue: Medan, Indonesia
Date: 18th – 20th February, 2016

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