President’s Address

As delivered by IPA President (2010-2012), Yoga Dirga Cahya, on IPA Inauguration & Networking Night 2011, held 19 February 2011 at KBRI Singapura. Click here for the complete event coverage of IPA Inauguration.

Assalamualaikum Wr Wb.

Yang terhormat Bapak Duta Besar Indonesia yang dalam hal ini di wakili oleh Bapak Fachry Sulaiman, coordinator fungsi penerangan social budaya KBRI Singapura, Ketua Dharma Wanita Pusat Ibu If Wardhana, dan Ibu Eva Sulaiman.

Yang kami hormati staff KBRI Singapura, tamu undangan dan anggota Indonesian Professionals’ Association yang sangat kami hargai. Pertama-tama ijinkan lah saya mengucapkan terima kasih kepada KBRI Singapura atas dukungan yang telah diberikan kepada kami dalam penyelenggaraan Inauguration IPA 2011 ini.

Pada hari ini IPA telah berusia 12 tahun. Indonesian Professionals’ Association didirikan pada tahun 1999 oleh sekelompok kecil profesional Indonesia di Singapura. Setelah 2 kali berganti kepengurusan, pada bulan Oktober 2010 IPA telah mengadakan pemilihan Presiden IPA yang ke 3 untuk membentuk kepengurusan IPA yang baru.

Infinite networks. This tagline was coined since the second IPA administration in 2007. With the spirit of Infinite Networks, IPA has successfully given its members and friends networking platforms through many exciting activities such as monthly networking dinner, recreational outing, sport gathering et cetera. Now, in the third IPA administration, besides focusing on the networking and bonding session for our members IPA is planning to reach out to the wider community both in Singapore and Indonesia.

To achieve this objective, IPA will also be focusing our missions in three aspects: Social Contribution, Entrepreneurship Promotion, and Information Services.

Social contribution is the new mission brought by IPA to benefit not only to our member but also to the less fortunate people in Indonesia and in Singapore. In IPA we believe that successful persons are those who can balance their achievement in personal lives and their contribution for the community. Therefore, in my administration we are setting up a new Division called Social Development Division which is headed by Ms Andriani. We will learn more about our upcoming programs later during the talk show.

Still in social contribution aspect, IPA as an organization will also play a bigger role to promote friendship between ASEAN professionals in Singapore. You may have heard that ASEAN community will be commenced in 2015. As an organization, IPA will also be promoting and campaigning for the ASEAN spirit amongst Indonesian community in Singapore. In this spirit, I am happy to welcome our friends from Vietnam Professional Association and Kesuma Association of Malay Entrepreneur, and Singapore National Cooperation Federation that are with us today.

Secondly, IPA will like to embrace the entrepreneurial skill amongst our member and promote entrepreneurship to the larger Indonesian community in Singapore. Indonesia is now a member of G20, and the biggest economy in ASEAN. We are now a new emerging country in the world together with Brazil, Russia, India and China (BRICI). Hence in the current New Economic Era, entrepreneurial skill is not only important for businessman or traders. Professionals and leaders are now demanded to have the ability to think as an entrepreneur and seize the opportunity at first instance. Therefore, IPA will like to foster this value in my administration.

Thirdly, IPA will like to brand itself as an Indonesian Talent Hub in Singapore. There are currently about 16,000 Indonesian Professionals working in Singapore spreading through all type of industries from IT, banking, manufacturing, research, advertising, construction and even in government sector. As an Indonesian Talent Hub in Singapore, catering for 16,000 professionals we are now equipping ourselves with the Information Services needed by our members, friends, as well as private sectors. This information includes important information for new comer Indonesians in Singapore, job portal, and accommodation listing. To support these services, I am happy to launch the new IPA website which is equipped with the new job portal and accommodation listing. These new features will be talked more by the Head of IT Johannes Ardiant.

Akhir kata, Saya ingin mengucapkan terima kasih sekali lagi kepada bapak Fachry dan pihak KBRI yang berkenan hadir di acara kami malam ini. Terima kasih juga kepada hadirin sekalian yang bersedia meluangkan waktu untuk hadir dan menjadi saksi akan dibukanya sebuah era baru di dalam sejarah IPA di Singapura.

Wassalamualaikum Wr Wb.

Yoga Dirga Cahya