28/4/2016

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Seorang siswa di SMP swasta yang terbilang baru, kecil, dan lambat berkembang bisa dibilang hanya sok tau dalam urusan memimpin. Idealisme masih tinggi walaupun inspirasi cuma datang dari anime-anime di global TV dan kawan-kawannya yang iklannya memakan 50% alokasi waktu tayangnya. 

Kelas 7, aku mendaftar untuk bergabung dengan OSIS, yang ternyata gunanya waktu itu cuma buruh untuk mengadakan acara-acara di hari besar. Ide kami diminta sih, tapi arahan dan konsep acara masih dari pamong OSIS. Kembali lagi ke kelas 7, entah waktu itu ceritanya bagaimana, aku dicalonkan sebagai wakil ketua OSIS, dengan calon ketua dari kelas 8. Namanya David. Singkat cerita, kami menang pemilihan dan jadilah kami ketua dan wakil.

Di tengah-tengah kepengurusan, suatu hari aku lihat David di ruang guru, bicara serius dengan bu pamong OSIS. Mungkin beban yang kami bawa di pundak tidak sama besarnya, tidak sama beratnya. Waktu itu belum ada LINE, HPku masih sony ericsson warna ungu yang keypadnya rusak berkali-kali, Intinya, gak bisa ada grup buat diskusi atau sekedar curhat antara ketua dan wakil kalau memang lagi ada masalah.

Benar, dia mengundurkan diri.

Katanya, terlalu banyak tuntutan dan celaan yang dia terima dan praktis beliau nggak kuat lagi, merasa gagal, dan mundur adalah pilihannya. Belum lagi begitu banyak cela dari teman-teman angkatannya yang memang selalu bawa-bawa jabatan menurut dia.

Di SMP swasta yang terbilang baru, kecil, dan lambat berkembang itu, ternyata kepemimpinan dan jabatan juga membawa masalah dan memiliki akibat yang nggak biasa-biasa aja, buat David misalnya. Fungsi pemimpin itu kadang nggak begitu jelas. Urusan eksekusi jelas diatur oleh kepala staf tiap divisi, administratif oleh sekretaris dan bendahara. Ketua ngapain? Memastikan semuanya berjalan, menjaga semuanya anyem. Caranya?

Nggak tau juga.

(Curhat) KOMAHI: Why give a damn?

Since February, my days have never been too far away from the word KOMAHI and stuff related to it. Without intending to brag about my position whatsoever, it is indeed a new thing to me, since I've never been involved in any kind of serious organisation. At the start, I thought to myself "ah, no worries, this is completely bearable." Turns out I was completely wrong. At times, I feel like falling in identity crisis, asking myself whether I am capable enough to lead, wondering whether this organisation (or association, whatever you like) works fine, each departments with their own programs. The other thing that's been bugging me is how my people, my constituents, look at their very own organisation, whether it is able to deliver what they really want or need, or maybe they see KOMAHI as a useless one, uninteresting, or whatever.

Is my concern valid? Let's look at statistics then. Assuming there are 3 active IR students (2013-2015), we understand that only 2 last batches (2014 & 2015) are more actively engaged in KOMAHI, both as staff and members. So, let's assume there are 125 people in each batch that make up 250 people (well, this is not really statistics then hehehehe). Moving on, out of 250 people, around 122 or so constitute the staff of KOMAHI, 6 departments, 3 semi-autonomous body, and the cabinet itself including me.

So far, KOMAHI has held 8 programs from different departments & semi-autonomus body that are meant to involve all members, not only staff. With this immense number of staff and members, the number of participation, in my humble opinion, is considerably low. Take a look at IRCCT by INKA. Two times in two months, the number of participants never touched 20. In the first discussion (Jakarta-Bandung Rapid Train), not many KOMAHI members got involved. Surprisingly, two seats were taken by engineering students. In the second discussion (Brussels and Terrorism), the number of participant did not increase. Only four 2015 students were present, all INKA staff members. From Movie Week by HI CINE, four movies in a week, I could count the attendants with less than ten fingers. Fortunately, HI CINE guys were up and enthusiastic enough in the making of Dialectics, their (and our) very own web-series. Some role takers were not member of HI CINE staff, so I was content with that. The latest was Capacity Building by DPSDM, in which 51 people confirmed to join the activities but only around thirty were present. A little bit of blow to me as it means a decline compared to that of 2015's tenure. I guess these four programs were enough to get a perspective on how we look at participation level in KOMAHI, with hundreds available.

This is really becoming my concern. With some plans already discussed and kept in the head, I'd like to offer you, the ones who'd care to read this boring writing of mine, some reasons why you should start rethinking not getting involved in KOMAHI's programs.

First of all, let's be pragmatic and transactional. Picture KOMAHI as a region (or province if you like) in a centralized state, with all of us the residents. We all pay taxes to the Unitary State of FISIPOL, which is our tuition fee or UKT and we let the the central government manage our money. The hierarchy of the Unitary State of FISIPOL means that the people are governed by sub-governmental body, and one of them is the region of IR (with official name "Korps Mahasiswa HI," KOMAHI). KOMAHI gets money every year from the central government so it can deliver public goods and provide the need of the IR region's residents. What I'm trying to say is, KOMAHI does use your money to provide you with programs that are meant to develop you as an IR students. well, yes it's just a small fraction of your UKT that constitutes KOMAHI's budget (although we can ask from dirmawa for more of your money). Try asking yourself, are you letting your money away without benefiting from it at all? 

Secondly, it is worth keeping in mind that KOMAHI is here for you, KOMAHI is yours. Our AD/ART, our so-called constitution, stipulates that all IR students are members of KOMAHI. We are all asked to choose a new chief every year, that this elected leader will be fully responsible to you. She/He has to make sure to deliver what you need as members. We are trying to be as democratic as we can to ensure that every say is heard and every suggestion or comment or critic is taken into account so we can deliver better. You, IR students/KOMAHI members, have rights to get involved in shaping KOMAHI, to benefit from KOMAHI's program, and to fix things if some are not right. KOMAHI is absolutely yours. Imagine us as a mini-state where you can democratically get involved and be acknowledged.

Thirdly, KOMAHI is run by fellow IR students, not someone you do not know. Apart from the fact that there are so many of us, we are meant to be family. Many of us come from other city and find new family here: friends. It's hard to accept, but we are now family. KOMAHI is not here for itself. KOMAHI exists to deliver what's good for the family of those running the organisation. You fought with your brothers or sisters sometime, but you are not ignoring them. You always wish them the best, you give them good, quality stuff, and you appreciate and help them because they are your family. It goes the same way here between us. We want to give the best for you, but we also need your help. One of the many forms is your participation.

Regarding the participation, I myself would also think twice if asked to join the activities of organisations other than KOMAHI. The decisions to take part or not falls in every individual's jurisdiction. You cannot even be forced to vote in an election if you don't want to. But wouldn't you think for the sake of your nation? The same thing goes with KOMAHI. It represents your identity as mahasiswa HI UGM. In external forums, people will get generalized impression on mahasiswa HI UGM based on what they see from those wearing korsa KOMAHI. Are you not going to take part in any of our more-than-fifty programs (that is meant to develop us all)? Wouldn't you want to change things if some are wrong? Would you let your money wasted for things unfavourable to you? Wouldn't you use your chance to take part fully democratically in this tiny entity before embarking on the real world?

I know this is not the best writing to convince you. My language skill is not even convincing nor promising. But I'd like to remind you all that one thing is for sure: KOMAHI is here to serve you all. The way I see it, leading is not about giving command and getting things done, but it is about serving others. Let us provide what you need, listen to you, and help you if need be. We will try our best to deliver qualities, but we need your acknowledgement and participation to make it so. Staff or member, KOMAHI is always ours.

#KOMAHIkita

#MemimpinMelayani

22 April 2016

02.49