I came to Jeju to represent Indonesia in bidding for hosting APCC 2013. The opportunity was not accidental; it followed encouragement from IEEE leadership, particularly Byeong Gi Lee, who urged us to step forward. So my presence there was focused and deliberate: we came to compete.

On 15 October, after the conference opening, I joined the closed session of the APCC Steering Committee, where the host selection took place. Indonesia and Thailand presented their bids. Thailand delivered a polished presentation, while I presented Indonesia’s case more simply, emphasizing timing, relevance, and our strategic narrative. After a brief but intense Q&A, we were asked to leave the room while the committee deliberated.

I pursued this bid not only because of the external push, but also because it aligned with our momentum and milestones—25 years of IEEE Indonesia and 10 years of ComSoc Indonesia. I worked closely with a small but focused team: M. Ary Murti and Agnes Irwanti. Together, we carried the bid with clarity and conviction rather than excessive complexity.

About fifteen minutes later, we were called back in and informed that Indonesia had been selected to host APCC 2013. The transition was immediate: from bidder to organizer. I was congratulated and directly asked to deliver a speech at the banquet the next day—marking the start of our responsibility to carry the conference forward.