Description: Eco Bhinneka Muhammadiyah North Maluku involves interfaith youth throughout Ternate to develop recommendations for the Ternate Government to improve their waste management system, through Seminars Interfaith Action Campaign – Season II, on July 11, 2024. (Doc. @ecobhinnekamuhammadiyahmalut)
Increasing public awareness of the importance of science and technology in efforts to manage the environment sustainably, especially in dealing with the plastic waste problem which is increasingly worrying in Ternate, Eco Bhinneka Muhammadiyah North Maluku involves interfaith youth throughout Ternate to develop recommendations for the Ternate Government, through Seminars Interfaith Action Campaign – Season II.
The event with the theme “The Role of Science and Technology in Environmental Management and Plastic Waste” took place on Thursday 11 July 2024 and was attended by 42 people. Participants came from various circles, including academics, environmental activists, interfaith women and representatives from various interfaith communities, such as: Maluku Protestant Church Youth Force (AMGPM), North Maluku Muhammadiyah University Christian Student Association (HMK UMMU), GKPMI Youth (Gereja Calfari Pentecostal Mission in Indonesia) Imanuel Tabanga, Waste Aware Youth (Ankam), Ternate Creative Space, Kastela Village Youth, IPM (Muhammadiyah Student Association), IMM (Muhammadiyah University Student Association), HWDI (Indonesian Disabled Women’s Association), Tapak Suci, and DMC Dhuafa Center.
Usman Mansur, Regional Manager of Eco Bhinneka Muhammadiyah Ternate observed that environmental problems in Ternate, especially waste management, are currently only in the transportation stage, and end up in final disposal. “With advances in technology, it is time for Ternate to be able to provide more modern waste processing. We hope that together with youth and religious leaders from across religions and beliefs in Ternate, we can discuss to formulate actions that can be taken together, and can be followed up as soon as possible,” he said.
Usman, who is also active as Chair of the Environmental Sector in the Central Board Council (DPP) of the Muhammadiyah University Student Association (IMM), explained that this activity aims to foster a sense of tolerance and support interfaith actions within the Internal and External Organizations of each organization, and to bring a formulation of recommendations to the Ternate Government in waste management and handling. “Eco Bhinneka Muhammadiyah North Maluku hopes that, through activities like this, a stronger synergy can be created between the community, academics, interfaith circles and the government in an effort to protect and preserve the environment,” said Usman. He hopes that this agenda can have a big impact on environmental sustainability in Ternate.
Triningsih, Program and Finance Coordinator for Eco Bhinneka Muhammadiyah, said that interfaith collaboration is very important in facing environmental challenges. “We must join hands, beyond differences in religion and belief, to protect our earth. Because it is an actualization or implementation in worship,” she said. The environment, continued Triningsih, is the main factor in human survival, so that proper environmental management will be able to provide benefits for life itself.
Muhammad Syarif Tjan, as Head of Environmental Pollution and Damage Control Division of the Ternate Environmental Service, explained that based on the 2023 Ternate Environmental Service (DLH) records, the volume of waste in 2023 has increased from 180 tons per day to 200 tons per day. “Ternate DLH is currently only focused on transporting and sorting waste which only revolves around the trans depot and ends at the final disposal site,” added Syarif. According to him, the environmental problems in Ternate are very serious and require the involvement of all stakeholders. “Both youth and interfaith leaders need to participate and provide solutions to environmental problems in Ternate,” he said.
Description: Eco Bhinneka Muhammadiyah North Maluku held a Seminars on July 11, 2024, with the speakers from North Maluku Province Forestry Service, Ternate Environmental Service, BAPPEDA, and the North Maluku Muhammadiyah Regional Board. (Doc. @ecobhinnekamuhammadiyahmalut)
Syarif hopes that this meeting will not just be a meeting with a surplus of words, but we must have an execution. “Because 1 ounce of action is more valuable than 1000 tons of theory,” he stressed. “So it doesn’t stop here, but let’s we make this forum a way for us to take participatory-based waste industrialization through the community. We don’t need people who are smart, but we need people who are frequent, consistent, and willing to move,” he concluded.
Ibnu Khaldun, Head of the Forest Resources Protection and Conservation Division of the North Maluku Province Forestry Service, said that our lives depend on environmental conditions. “Every citizen enjoys basic rights, one of which is the right to have a healthy living environment which should be protected by law enforcement and this is the responsibility of the Government, society and all of us,” he said.
Furthermore, Rev. Donny Toisuta, a Christian religious figure, reminded the participants of the Ternate cultural philosophy ‘Ini Fomakati Nyiga’ which emphasized the importance of maintaining harmonious relationships between people. “We may be different in terms of religion, skin color or other things where we still have many differences, but in terms of goodness and humanity, we are the same. So the waste issue, the climate crisis issue, is one way to unite us and become a strength,” said Rev. Donny.
Description: Eco Bhinneka Muhammadiyah North Maluku involves interfaith youth throughout Ternate to develop recommendations for the Ternate Government, through Seminars Interfaith Action Campaign – Season II, on July 11, 2024. (Doc. @ecobhinnekamuhammadiyahmalut)
Yakub Abbas, as Head of Sub-Directorate for Government of Bappelitbangda for Ternate, said that Ternate has different characteristics and its own challenges in managing waste. “For example, if we want to build a bridge, in order for the bridge to be finished, we have to make the workers know how to build bridges, so with the program we have to empower the people first,” he said.
Meanwhile, Suharto, an academic from the Faculty of Health Sciences, Muhammadiyah University, North Maluku, emphasized that waste is the result of human activity. “Future disasters are anticipations of the present. No matter how sophisticated the technology used is, if the behavior of throwing away rubbish cannot be changed, then it is useless. From now on, do things that are simple but have an impact on the benefit,” he stressed.
Furthermore, Ichlas Yudha Pramono, Deputy Chair of the North Maluku Muhammadiyah Regional Board (PWM), said that since Muhammadiyah was founded until now Muhammadiyah continues to exist, stand and move to build togetherness in religious moderation. “In maintaining togetherness and diversity or religious moderation, one of the things is proven by the fact that the number of students at Muhammadiyah colleges are mostly Christians, which nowadays we often hear with the term Muhammadiyah Christians, and now also through environmental preservation activities inviting interfaith youth through the Eco program Bhinneka Muhammadiyah,” he explained. Ichlas advised that to do big things, we must start by thinking and doing something that starts with ourself, and is done consistently from today and in the days to come.
The warm discussion that took place at this seminar resulted in several recommendations for the Ternate Government to improve the environment, especially waste management in Ternate. First, the Government needs to create a policy for boarding house owners regarding their waste disposal behavior, because most of the waste also comes from boarding houses. Apart from that, it provides temporary disposal sites in each boarding house, policies and time regulations, as well as a schedule for the disposal and transportation of waste in Ternate.
Second, the Ternate Government needs to carry out research and technology-based waste management. This effort should be achieved by collaborating with institutions related to science and technology-based waste management programs. Research-based waste management can also increase research numbers in Ternate. Technology-based waste management, for example the Waste Power Plant, with the aim of activating and increasing electricity supply in Ternate. The government makes the policy, then for technical management it can collaborate with the institution responsible.
Third, increasing women’s empowerment through empowering housewives from sub-districts supported by firm policies of the Ternate and sub-district governments. Remembering that the waste comes from the kitchen and cannot be separated from the role of women. The government must collaborate, cooperate and empower women’s communities creatively and innovatively so that the waste processed can have economic value.
Description: On July 11, 2024, the interfaith youth throughout Ternate to develop recommendations for the Ternate Government to improve the waste management on Ternate. (Doc. @ecobhinnekamuhammadiyahmalut)
Author: Fadila Syahril
Editor: Dzikrina Farah Adiba
