Minister of Public Works and Housing, Basuki Hadimuljono, shared his insights with 1,617 new students of the UGM Faculty of Engineering during the faculty’s student orientation “PPSMB Kesatria” on Thursday (3/8).
Minister Hadimuljono addressed the students, stating that they were the future engineers of Indonesia.
He expressed happiness at seeing a rise in interest among potential engineering students today despite a fall in the number of engineering students in past years.
“In the past few years, I’ve seen a decline, but now the enthusiasm to become engineers is rising again. The interest is almost back to where it was,” said the minister, an alumnus of the Geological Engineering program at UGM.
Basuki mentioned that Indonesia needs to increase the number of engineering graduates because the current ratio of engineers in Indonesia is only 5,300 engineers per one million people. This number is significantly lower compared to other ASEAN countries.
“If we don’t focus on development programs, this number will be surpassed by Vietnam, especially since many investors have already turned to Vietnam,” he stated.
Minister Hadimuljono emphasized that being an engineer requires more than just academic intelligence; it also involves integrity in daily life.
“The purpose of education is to become intelligent, but also a good person. Being smart means your knowledge is beneficial or wasted, like being intelligent but using your knowledge to deceive or mislead others. Don’t be people whose knowledge causes harm. We should be intelligent individuals who succeed and possess good character,” he added.
During a conversation with the students, a fresh Civil Engineering student named Jonathon Hartono asked the minister about the disparities in skills and tenacity between generations of employees at the Ministry of Public Works and Housing.
He claims that while Generation Z and millennial graduates serving in his ministry often have high IQs and solid technical capabilities, their degree of militancy requires development.
“That’s why I put them through a two-week training with the special forces unit to instill militancy. It’s different from when we were shaped by nature,” he explained.
Minister Hadimuljono shared his story as a student, mentioning that he always enjoyed academic activities on campus and never skipped a single class. In order to graduate quickly and maintain discipline, he deliberately chose a strict academic advisor.
“I enjoyed studying. Seriously, both at UGM and in the United States, I never skipped a single class. We must listen, absorb information, and utilize our abilities. Enjoy it. Then, find a strict academic advisor to keep us disciplined. In the 1973 class where I was in, I was the first to graduate because I feared my academic advisor. To graduate faster and better, enjoy your time as a student,” he advised.
Basuki Hadimuljono, who grew up in a modest family with a military background, expressed gratitude for being able to attend UGM. He never imagined he would pursue a master’s and doctoral degree at Colorado State University in the United States.
“When I was a child, I used to work as a driver assistant. In the United States, I worked as a newspaper delivery person. We were shaped by nature, but now, you are pampered by computers and gadgets. Therefore, the younger generation needs to cultivate militancy,” he concluded.
Author: Gusti Grehenson