Indonesian President Joko Widodo officially opened the XXIII Muhammadiyah Student Association Congress in Medan, on Saturday (19/8).
On that occasion, the President together with the General Chairperson of PP Muhammadiyah Prof. Dr. Haedar Nashir, M.Si, TNI Commander Admiral Yudo Margono, Minister of Youth and Sports Dito Ariotedjo, General Chairperson of PP IPM Nashir Efendi and The Rector of Universitas Muhammadiyah Sumatra Utara Prof. Dr. Agussani, MAP hit the Toba Batak traditional musical instrument, Taganing, from the stage, as a sign of the opening of the XXIII IPM Congress at the Multipurpose Building Jl. Willem Iskandar Medan.
Also present were the Governor of Sumatera Utara, Edy Rahmayadi, the Mayor of Medan M. Bobby Nasution, the Regents/Mayors of North Sumatra, elements of the central, regional, and regional leadership of Muhammadiyah, Aisyiah, the UMSU academic community, Muhammadiyah Youth, Ortom and 2,000 students who are members of the IPM throughout -Indonesia and students from Muhammadiyah schools.
In his speech, the President said he was proud and loved the IPM cadres from Sabang to Merauke. The President recalled the memory of meeting IPM for the first time in Sidoarjo in 2008 during the 21st IPM Congress.
“I remember, I met directly with the Muhammadiyah Student Association in Sidoarjo in 2008. So, if it’s been four or five years since we met, thank God I was able to heal my feelings for IPM, so as soon as I received an invitation from IPM for a conference, Mas Nashir Efendi came I went to the palace to say that today I have arranged the time for my departure to Africa, but because there is an IPM conference, I have postponed my departure to tomorrow (Sunday-ed). “The departure is not from Jakarta, but it is from Medan,” said the President, greeted by applause from the invitation and the crowd of 2,000 students who filled the Multipurpose building.
The President admitted that he came because he missed it and enjoyed meeting students.
“Honestly, I say I’m happy,” he said.
The President advised Muhammadiyah students to study, master, and develop digital technology because today is the era of young people who are all digital. Making the younger generation superior because they grew up in the digital era (digital native). However, the President asked to use technology for the welfare of the people so that they become a strong generation who not only master science and technology but also have noble character, good morals and fight for truth and humanity.
“There’s no point in getting a school score of 10 if the morale is 0 and the character is not good,” he said.
At the end of his speech, through the IPM Congress, the President emphasized again that Muhammadiyah students can be role models and progressive Muslim students whose mastery of science and technology is great as well as having great morals, character, and mentality.
“For me, that is the ideal figure of a Muhammadiyah student,” he said.
IPM wants to be the subject
Chairman of the PP Muhammadiyah Student Association, Nashir Efendi, said that IPM had created a change program to respond to the era of technological disruption. For this reason, the president’s presence in opening the Congress in Medan provided positive energy for Muhammadiyah students in Indonesia. Regarding the 2024 elections which are getting closer, Nashir said that IPM has clearly stated that it wants to be a subject and not an object in politics. IPM rejects parties who only want to take advantage of the votes of Muhammadiyah students.
IPM wants to play a role in determining the nation’s journey because IPM’s mass base is in the Generation Z segment, which is 47.5 percent of the Indonesian population. This means that 1 in 4 voters is Gen Z. For this reason, he continued, IPM through Congress continues to create change programs in order to welcome the era of disruption as per the tagline of the congress: welcoming the new era of IPM.
“IPM wants the voices of young people to be heard and help determine the nation’s future journey,” he said.
4 PP Muhammadiyah messages
Meanwhile, the General Chairperson of PP Muhammadiyah Prof. Dr. Haedar Nashir expressed his thanks to the president who took the time to attend and open the congress during his busy state schedule. Prof. Haedar said that President Jokowi is the only one who often visits Muhammadiyah.
Then, Prof. Haedar conveyed four messages to the IPM at the meeting, including that Muhammadiyah students must become religious students and become people with noble civility, high moral character, and always be close to Allah SWT to give birth to self-piety and social piety. Furthermore, IPM is to become intelligent, knowledgeable, and skilled students to welcome the new era that is being launched. Apart from that, be a person who always maintains harmony and tolerance actively participates in the democratic process, and emulates national figures, especially those born from the womb of Muhammadiyah.
At the Congress event, the President gave a bicycle to Ario Prasetyo, a Congress participant from Depok from IPM Pangkal Pinang because he successfully answered questions asked by the president.
After the opening, the Chairman of the Local Committee, Prof. Dr. Akrim, MPd said that the series of peak events at the IPM Congress from 18-20 August 2023 was successful with the support of the UMSU local committee in collaboration with PP and PW IPM North Sumatra.