To Foster Good Relations, the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering Accompanied the IKATEK President to Meet with the IKA UNHAS President.
As part of efforts to foster closer ties following the Eid al-Fitr holiday, the Chairman of the Hasanuddin University Engineering Alumni Association, Ir. Muhammad Sapri Andi Pamulu, M.Eng., Ph.D., accompanied by the Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Prof. Dr. Eng. Ir. Muhammad Isran Ramli, ST., MT., IPM., ASEAN Eng., paid a courtesy visit to prominent alumni, including the President of the Hasanuddin University Alumni Association, who also serves as Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Ir. H. Amran Sulaiman, M.P.
This courtesy visit took place on Tuesday, February 15, 2024, at the AAS Building on Jl. Urip Sumoharjo, Makassar. Accompanied not only by the Dean of the Unhas Faculty of Engineering, the event was also attended by members of the Hasanuddin University Faculty of Engineering Alumni Association.
To welcome the IKATEK executive board delegation, Amran Sulaiman specially ordered a young whole roasted goat. The event was also combined with a Halal Bi Halal gathering between the chairman of IKA UNHAS and the executive boards of the various faculty alumni associations. In addition to the IKATEK Chairman, this Halal Bi Halal gathering was also attended by the Chairpersons of the various IKA Faculty chapters, including the Chairperson of the IKA Faculty of Agriculture, Ilham Arief Sirajuddin; A. Fahsar M. Padjalangi (Social and Political Sciences); Prof. Abd Kadir (Medicine); the Chairperson of IKAFE, Hendra Noor Saleh; the Chairperson of the IKA West Sulawesi Regional Chapter, Muhammad Idris; and others.
Chairman Amran, who has now been appointed as Indonesia’s Minister of Agriculture, called on IKA executives and alumni to play a role in agricultural programs and national food security efforts. “I want IKA executives and UNHAS alumni to take an active role in agriculture,” said Amran.
In addition to serving as Minister of Agriculture, Amran Sulaiman is also the founder of the Tiran Group and is currently developing a modern agriculture program in South Sulawesi aimed at at least doubling agricultural production. On this occasion, Amran Sulaiman also introduced Yusran Yusuf as the head of this development program.
Outreach efforts regarding modern agriculture have already been conducted, involving Maros Regent Chaidir Syam, Pangkep Regent M. Yusran Lalogau, the Maros Agricultural Extension Service (BSIP), agricultural extension agents, and relevant agencies. A similar program is already underway in Bone Regency, managed independently under the leadership of the Head of the Department of Agriculture, Food Crops, and Horticulture, Andi Asman Sulaiman. Minister of Agriculture Amran aims for South Sulawesi to become a model and pioneer of modern agriculture. The Ministry of Agriculture is providing full support for this Modern Agriculture Program—from the procurement of agricultural machinery and seeds, through cultivation, harvesting, and post-harvest processing, all the way to market distribution.
The goal of this program is for Indonesia’s agricultural system to fully adopt mechanization so that farmers no longer need to work the soil directly—as everything is handled by machines, from soil preparation to packaging and marketing—all of which are fully integrated.
Regarding production increases through the Land Optimization (Opla) program, the Ministry of Agriculture is currently promoting the installation of pumps and pipelines with a target of 1 million hectares—500,000 on the island of Java and 500,000 outside Java.
The Halal Bihalal gathering with the chairs of the Faculty’s IKA chapters concluded with the hope that the executive board members, alumni, and Unhas will actively take part in various activities and strengthen cooperation.
In addition, the event was also attended by, among others, Secretary General Yusran Jusuf, Treasurer Murtir Djeddawi, Vice Chairmen Idris Manggabarani, Ikbal Suhaeb, Bachrianto Bahtiar, A. Irwan Patawari, A. Irfan AB, Executive Director Salahuddin Alam, Safri Sabit, Irwan Ade Saputra, Suwardi Thahir, Iqbal Djawad, Kahar Gani, Rezky Mulyadi, Andi Amri, Ammank, Yansi, Mursalim Thahir, Andi Dedi, Yessy, M. Ruslan, and Julia.