presented at the
BBI (ACT) Annual General Meeting held on 4 December 2020
at 28 Mirning Cres, Aranda, ACT, 2614
Dear members
Because of COVID-19, incorporated organisations in the ACT faced some enormous hurdles in 2020 and BBI (ACT) was no exception. With physical distance restrictions in place, the Board managed to hold two meetings during the year – the first in person at the Tram Room in February and a second virtually in May. We had to put on hold the plans we discussed at last year’s AGM, including a second teacher language and culture awareness trip to Indonesia, an Indonesian Film Night, a further intensive language and culture workshop for teachers, and a ‘View from the Pavilion’ public address.
However, we were not completely moribund as we held two successful in-person events: a Book Club meeting in August to discuss Eka Kurniawan’s novel, ‘Man Tiger’, Lelaki Harimau, at Pak Imran’s home in O’Malley and; a malam ngobrol evening in late October at Ida’s home in North Lyneham.
Amongst our plans for the coming year are assisting the Indonesian Embassy to conduct a further pilot of the Indonesian Department of Education (Badan Bahasa)’s language proficiency test, the Ujian Kemahiran Bahasa Indonesia (UKBI). We hope to work with the Canberra Institute of Technology or another suitable language training institution to deliver the UKBI test on a fee-paying basis. We are also planning to invite Melbourne-based author, Ibu Dewi Anggraeni, to launch her latest novel at a Book Club meeting early in 2021.
I draw your attention to the attached audit report kindly prepared for us again this year by John Phillips. As at 31 October 2020, BBI (ACT) had a bank cash balance of $2,434.
Pending a relaxation of physical distance restrictions, BBI (ACT) will continue a program of activities in 2021 to deliver on its mandate to promote the teaching and learning of Indonesian in the ACT and across Australia. To be successful, our program will need to draw on all the expertise and commitment BBI (ACT) members are able to offer. I thank members in advance for your continuing efforts.
I want to thank fellow Board members for their support, in particular Ida Nurhayati for organizing the Book Club and malam ngobrol functions this year. We continue to be grateful for the support of the Indonesian Embassy in Canberra, especially Education and Culture Attaché Bpk Imran Hanafi. Finally, let me take this opportunity to thank Soeprapti and Ross McLeod for graciously welcoming us to their ‘istana’ here in Aranda for dinner.
To BBI (ACT) members celebrating Christmas, I extend season’s greetings and to all I convey my best wishes for a safe and healthy year in 2021.
Heath McMichael
Chair, Balai Bahasa Indonesia (ACT)
30 November 2020.
Balai Bahasa Indonesia (ACT) 