A call to protect and preserve Indonesia’s forests echoed through the 62nd Anniversary Celebration of the Faculty of Forestry on Friday evening (Oct. 17). The message was delivered by the legendary band Slank, who headlined the reunion concert held at the Faculty of Forestry.
“We’ll sing a special song as a gift for the Faculty of Forestry’s anniversary: Ga Perawan Lagi. This song reflects the state of Indonesia’s forests. It’s from our fourth album, written in 1994, about forests that were no longer dense back then. Now, in 2025, they’re even less so,” said Bimbim during the performance at the Faculty of Forestry courtyard.
Bimbim expressed his joy at returning to Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) with Slank. He thanked the organizers for inviting the band to perform at the reunion night and anniversary celebration.
He recalled that their last performance at UGM was in 2014 and shared that he always visited SGPC Bu Wir whenever he came to campus.
“We’re happy and grateful to be back after so long. We used to perform here quite often, but it’s been years since our last show,” Bimbim said.
Slank opened their set with I Miss U But I Hate U and closed with Kamu Harus Pulang. Over the course of more than an hour, the band performed several other songs, including Ga Perawan Lagi, Bangbang Tut, Bim-Bim Jangan Menangis, Terlalu Manis, Maafkan, Mawar Merah, Tonk Kosong, Balikin, and Virus.
Between performances, Slank delivered a message to graduates of the Faculty of Forestry, reminding them of their important responsibility to ensure that Indonesia’s forests remain lush and sustainable.
They emphasized, however, that forest preservation is a shared duty that involves many parties.
“It’s in all of our hands. The Faculty of Forestry should be proud to be one of the few faculties that has its own ministry. Many people here work in government,” Bimbim added.
Dean of the Faculty of Forestry, Dr. Sigit Sunarta, expressed his gratitude for the success of the 62nd Anniversary Celebration. He thanked the alumni for their continued contributions to advancing the faculty.
“We are grateful for the alumni’s support in sustaining the university’s three pillars of higher education. Their contributions include installing new TV monitors in classrooms, among others,” he said.
On this occasion, Dr. Sunarta also congratulated Dr. Dwi Januanto Nugroho, an alumnus from the Class of 1994, on being elected as Chair of the Forestry Alumni Association (PP Kagamahut) for the 2025–2028 period, succeeding Dyah Murtiningsih.
“Tonight, I would also like to present a new orchid hybrid named Dendrodium Murtiningsih to the former chair of PP Kagamahut, as a token of our appreciation,” he said.
Several bands performed earlier in the evening before Slank’s appearance, including Susukrongewu from the Class of 2000, Basement Band featuring lecturers from the Faculty of Forestry, and Dexter Band.
The night concluded with a lively door prize giveaway, marking the highlight of the faculty’s 62nd-anniversary celebration.
Author: Agung Nugroho
Post-editor: Salma
Photographer: Donnie Trisfian