(Unila): Dimas Prasetyo has been wearing a neat shirt with a business card provided by the National Police Headquarters’ Public Relations Division throughout his internship for independent learning-independent campus (MBKM) program until December 14.
This time, he was tasked with covering a press conference at the Police Criminal Investigation Unit Building on a criminal case of money laundering for the circulation of illegal drugs involving up to IDR 531 billion in evidence.
At a press conference, Rp 531 billion was wrapped in clear plastic as evidence. The room was crammed with piles of hundreds of thousands of dollars and fifty thousand rupiahs. Dimas was taken aback; this was the first time he had seen such a large sum of money.
Dimas joined the press conference’s front desk, alongside several journalists covering the storey. He advanced in search of the appropriate position when the Director of Special Economic Crimes (Dirtipideksus Bareskrim Polri, Brigadier General (Brigjen) Pol. Helmy Santika and his team held and displayed several packages of evidence.
“This was the most memorable reporting experience of my life because it was the first time I saw Rp 531 billion in evidence.” Being able to cover national events directly is a source of pride for me,” said the Communication Studies Department, FISIP, the University of Lampung student in a WhatsApp message interview on Thursday, October 7, 2021.
Dimas recalls another memorable experience as he covered the evacuation of victims of the Tangerang prison fire from the scene to the Police Hospital. The fire incident claimed the lives of 41 inmates.
Along with covering major national events, Dimas was proud to meet Polri officials he had only seen on television, including the head of the National Police Inspector, General Argoyuwono’s Public Relations Division.
“I had run into him almost every day since I began my MBKM internship here,” he said cheerfully. Dimas admitted that he was overjoyed and relieved to be accepted for an MBKM internship at the Police Headquarters’ Public Relations, as few government institutions or businesses were willing to accept internship students during the Covid-19 pandemic.
He previously applied for internships at Tokopedia, Eiger, Narasi TV, and Headquarters’ Public Relations Division. His application was then approved by the Police Headquarters’ Public Relations Division, and he was required to participate in an interview session with representatives of the Bagrenmin Public Relations Division.
“Special requirements for internships at the Public Relations Police Headquarters include having the Covid-19 vaccine, and I am the only Unila student approved for an internship at the Public Relations Police Headquarters,” he explained.
Dimas was given a uniform and an internship card upon beginning his internship on June 14. He was then introduced to some of the staff and informed about some of the advanced camera equipment he would be using during his internship.
“I was assigned to the PID Bureau’s Proddokliput (Production, Documentation, and Coverage) Section. Daily internship activities include covering the National Police Chief’s activities and other significant National Police activities,” he explained.
Dimas believes that by participating in the MBKM internship at the Public Relations Police Headquarters, he will have more time to comprehend and hone his skills in the field of public relations.
Dimas, who is also a journalism student at Unila’s HMJ Communication Sciences, admitted that he had extensive experience in field reporting, which helped him hone his skills with a camera and photographing well.
“It’s fantastic to be able to complete an internship here and gain experience in the real world of work. “The public relations division’s members are also extremely humanist and professional in their work,” Dimas stated. [PR Team]
