HUMANITIES – (8/2/2025) A graduate of English Literature, Faculty of Humanities, UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang, Muhammad Afif Musthofa, was officially elected as the Chairperson of the Indonesian Translators Association (HPI) of the East Java Regional Commission (Komda) for the 2025-2027 period. Afif was elected by acclamation at the East Java HPI Komda Congress held on February 1, 2025.
Afif, who completed his studies in 2014, is now facing a major challenge in the world of translation which is increasingly developing with the presence of artificial intelligence (AI). In his leadership at HPI Komda Jatim, he brings a vision to adapt to the changing times, especially in the shift in the role of translators due to technology.
According to Afif, the translator profession is currently undergoing a significant transformation. “The translator profession has begun to be replaced by machines. There is something called machine translation post editing, where the translator’s job shifts to become an editor of the results of machine translation. This is a big challenge for all of us,” he said.
Afif’s journey in the world of translation was not instant. After several years working in the translation industry, he decided to resign at the end of 2017 and become a freelance translator. This decision opened up opportunities for him to be more independent and explore various translation projects.
In 2019, he took a big step by establishing Licolize Communication, a translation agency that is now continuing to grow. This agency not only offers translation services, but also various other language services, including machine translation post editing which is now increasingly needed in the digital era.
The election of Muhammad Afif Musthofa as the Chairperson of HPI Komda Jatim is proof that graduates of the English Literature Study Program, Faculty of Humanities, UIN Maulana Malik Ibrahim Malang have the competence to compete at a professional level. His success in the world of translation, both as practitioners and organizational leaders, reflects the quality of alumni of the Faculty of Humanities who are adaptive to technological developments and the demands of the global industry. This achievement is expected to inspire students and other graduates to continue to develop their skills and contribute to the international arena. [al]