UKM Yogya, Central and East Java Alumni Association Launched
By Abdul Razak Hussin
YOGYAKARTA, 28 Oct. 2011 – Another UKM Alumni Association has been setup when the Yogyakarta Special Region, Central and East Java Alumni was officially launched at the Universitas Pembangunan Nasional (UPN) here today by Deputy Vice Chancellor (Students and Alumni Affairs) of UKM, Prof Ir Dr Othman A. Karim.
Prof Othman said UKM alumni can, through the association, assist in the promotion of closer relationships between Indonesia and Malaysia.
More than 30 members of the UKM Yogya, Central and East Java Alumni were present including its president, Dr Ir Jatmiko Setiawan.
Among them were Prof Dr Sari Kusumayudha, who is the Deputy Rector 1 of UPN and Dr M Nurkholis, who is the Deputy Rektor 3 of UPN. Director of UKM Alumni Relations Office, Prof Dr Laily Din was also present.
Currently there are about 6,000 UKM alumni in Indonesia with some holding senior positions in both the government and private sectors. Their presence gives great potential for synergistic relations not just with UKM but between the two countries to further cement their good and close ties.
They could also form a strong informal group for the betterment of close relationships between the peoples of the two countries.
Prof Othman was proud with the UKM Alumni in Indonesia who continue to uphold the UKM agenda of providing service to their local communities and work towards the overall development of Indonesia.
Dr Jatmiko in his address said the Alumni Association has enabled the setting up of a more formal body to provide UKM’s alumni of the three areas of Yogyakarta, Central and East Java to get together and cooperate in various activities including with other UKM alumni elsewhere in Indonesia in the fields of education, business, politics or in social areas.
An academic seminar was held at UPN last Saturday in conjunction with the launching of the Alumni Association. Prof Othman presented a paper on the development and transformation of UKM at the seminar. 
