Bamsoet Applauds Unpad Alumni Association for Facilitating 14 Couples Through Mass Wedding
Bambang Soesatyo (Bamsoet), a member of the Indonesian House of Representatives (DPR RI) from the Golkar Party, the 15th Chairman of the MPR RI, and Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Padjaddjaran University Alumni Association (PBA), has expressed his appreciation for the consistency of the PBA in organising the ‘Nikah Bersama’ (Mass Wedding) programme, which has reached its sixth iteration since its inception in 2021.
Bamsoet noted that the programme serves as a form of social care that directly addresses community needs, particularly for underprivileged families who require assistance to conduct marriages that are both religiously valid and legally recognised through official registration.
During the sixth event held in Bandung on Monday (21/09), the PBA facilitated 14 prospective bride and groom pairs. Cumulatively, the PBA has assisted 50 couples through this programme to date.
“The six iterations of the Mass Wedding programme demonstrate that this activity has evolved into a sustainable social movement. When 14 couples from underprivileged families can marry legally according to both religion and state regulations, we are essentially helping to pave the way for the birth of new families with legal and social certainty. This is a very tangible form of mutual cooperation (gotong royong) whose benefits are directly felt by the community,” Bamsoet stated in his remarks on Monday.
The former 20th Chairman of the DPR RI and 7th Chairman of Commission III of the DPR RI assessed that facilitating marriages for underprivileged families carries significant social and legal dimensions. Registered marriages provide administrative certainty for couples and families, including in various population administration matters and the protection of legal rights related to the family.
Therefore, social activities such as the Mass Wedding hold high social value when conducted consistently and involve various elements of society.
“Helping couples from underprivileged families enter married life with a legal marriage is a very real form of social care and mutual cooperation. There are humanitarian, social, and religious aspects, as well as legal certainty involved. Therefore, I hope the PBA’s Mass Wedding programme continues and, if possible, its scope is expanded so that more families can feel the benefits,” said Bamsoet.
The Vice Chairman of the Golkar Party and Vice Chairman of KADIN Indonesia also praised the PBA’s concept of combining social care with economic empowerment. This year’s series of activities also featured an MSME Bazaar or Exhibition involving 44 alumni-led businesses across various sectors, ranging from fashion and handicrafts to culinary arts and other industries.
This focus on MSMEs is highly relevant to Indonesia’s economic structure. The Coordinating Ministry for Economic Affairs noted in 2026 that MSMEs contribute approximately 61 per cent to the GDP, absorb about 97 per cent of the workforce, account for around 60 per cent of national investment, and contribute about 16 per cent of non-oil and gas exports. The government also records that there are more than 64 million MSME units.
“Organising the Mass Wedding alongside an MSME bazaar shows that social care and economic empowerment can go hand in hand. Families being assisted to start their new lives meet entrepreneurs who are striving to build their economic livelihoods. This is the true meaning of an alumni network: to serve as both a social and economic force whose benefits can be felt more widely,” Bamsoet concluded.