At the age of 107 years old, Paguyuban Pasundan has not only been a huge mass organization, but it has been an “agile” organization/ institution. The main domain of Paguyuban Pasundan is an agile organization. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, Paguyuban Pasundan has proven to be able to increase its role in fighting ignorance and poverty in accordance with its vision and mission.
“The vision and mission which were declared by [Unpas] pioneers since 107 years ago, are now still relevant,” said the Head of Organization Field of Paguyuban Pasundan, Prof. Dr. Ir. H. Eddy Jusup Sp., M.Si., M.Kom at the inauguration ceremony of Paguyuban Pasundan Branch Manager Sukabumi District, on Saturday, October 24th, 2020.
Due to Covid-19 pandemic, the inauguration was limitedly and simply held in the Komplek Pendidikan Mutiara Terpadu, Pelabuhan Ratu, Sukabumi District. The number of people attending the inauguration was about 60 people, only consisting of those who were inaugurated, committees, Komda Region II Paguyuban Pasundan, Dr. Abah Ruskawan and few representatives of Paguyuban Pasundan. In fact, the Government of Sukabumi district official who was present at the event was only its Regional Secretary.
The direction staffs who were inaugurated consisted of Dr. Maman Abdurahman (Head of Branch Manager), Dr. Awan Setiawan (Vice Chairman), Aep Majmudin, M.M (Secretary), Iyan Mulyana, M.Si (Vice Secretary), Ir. H. Yayan (Treasurer), H. Rosad Furqon, M.Pd (Vice Treasurer), and several field staffs. At the same time, “Jaga Bala” Paguyuban Pasundan, a SAR team of Paguyuban Pasundan was also inaugurated.
Prof. Eddy Jusuf, the Rector of Unpas, also showed proof that Paguyuban Pasundan is a big and agile organization. It was seen by the developing of 4 universities, namely Universitas Pasundan, Sekolah Tinggi Hukum Pasundan, STKIP Pasundan and STIE Pasundan. Universitas Pasundan, for example, despite the Covid-19 pandemic, new students for the 2020-2021 academic year did not decrease from the previous year: 4,250 students. It was also seen in the level of primary and high school. Paguyuban Pasundan has 120 schools of primary school, middle, high and vocational high school.
“To fight against poverty, Paguyuban Pasundan has also established dozens of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, Bank of Perkreditan Rakyat, Travel Agents and several business fields,” the Rector said.
Nevertheless, there are some “homework” for Paguyuban Pasundan to do, that is to raise the number of Angka Partisipasi Kasar (APK) of higher education level in Indonesia which is only 34%. It means that the ratio between the population of college-age people and those who continue to university is still 34%. “That is [our] Paguyuban Pasundan homework, to raise the APK,” he said. However, the number of APK in the level of primary and middle school has already reached 80%.
The other evidence of the “agility” of Paguyuban Pasundan is not only visible nationally in every provinces and city-districts in Indonesia, but also internationally, particularly in Japan, Australia, America, Singapore and in the near future, it is also going to be made official in Korea and China. In fact, there are already “Pasundan Corner” which will also be improved to a Branch or Commissariat of Paguyuban Pasundan in Guangdong University of Foreign Studies, Guangzhou, China.
“Today, the organization that will be continuously improving and keeping still is not only a big one, but also an agile one,” ended Prof. Eddy Jusup.***
