Alumni Profile: M. Syafiul Muktapa, From Student of Tafsir to National Public Speaking Stage

Ciputat, UIN Online News – His smile is friendly, his words calm yet full of energy. Behind that effortless charm, M. Syafiul Muktapa, better known as Uta, has successfully become one of the most inspiring young public speaking trainers today. Who would have thought that this alumnus of the Qur'anic Studies and Tafsir program, Faculty of Ushuluddin, UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta, would find his calling not only in the realm of exegesis but also on stage, behind microphones, and on social media screens through his personal account @bicarapede?

His first step began on Instagram. After graduating from college, Uta started sharing public speaking tips packaged in a relaxed style, using easy-to-remember acronyms and abbreviations. At that time, his followers numbered only around 2,000. Today, over 600,000 people follow his content on both Instagram and TikTok.

For Uta, the courage to share knowledge isn't about popularity. It's about making communication skills accessible to anyone who fears speaking in public. "Initially, I just casually shared knowledge. But when I saw many people relate and ask questions directly via DM, I realized this could be a learning space," he stated.

Thus, @bicarapede.academy was born in 2021. This platform has become a public speaking training hub that now boasts thousands of alumni. Not only that, Uta and his team also collaborate with various institutions, ranging from ministries, state-owned enterprises, schools, to universities. It all started with a simple intention: to make public speaking a fundamental skill that anyone can learn.

However, the world isn't always kind to change. When he started actively sharing content, he received quite a few negative comments. Some called him a know-it-all, overly confident, or even sarcastic about his speaking style. For him, that's part of the process. "Being a perfectionist makes us afraid of making mistakes and overthinking. But if we go all out, we'll dare to try and keep learning from mistakes," he firmly said.

Besides educating and empowering, Uta is also active as a professional MC, including building Adikari Wedding Organizer and the Bicara Pede Talent agency, where his academy graduates can develop into professional MCs and speakers.

Uta's journey in the world of communication actually began during college. He was active in one of the Student Activity Units (UKM), namely the Campus Da'wah Institute (LDK). Uta participated in public speaking training, became an MC for various student activities, and founded the Sobat Mengajar Indonesia (Teaching Buddies Indonesia) community, which led him to frequently go directly into the field, interact, and train communication skills.

Behind all his achievements, Uta wants to invite other young people to dare to start. Especially those who are still afraid to appear in public, afraid of criticism, or feel not good enough. "If we are afraid to start something, including public speaking, it's like we are missing out on a valuable opportunity. We don't have to be great first to start performing; rather, by starting, we can become great," he advised.

Uta believes that in this digital era, the courage to speak is a crucial part of being ready to face the world. And it can be trained, started, and won from small steps. As an Instagram celebrity with over 600,000 followers, he often uses his platform to advocate for social campaigns, especially on the importance of public speaking. He built online communities named Sobat Bicara and @bicarapede, as learning and empowerment spaces for young people to be more confident in conveying ideas effectively.

Furthermore, Uta recently appeared as one of the speakers at the National Santri Summit held at the Harun Nasution Auditorium of UIN Syarif Hidayatullah Jakarta.

(Rizkiyah Gustiana N./Fauziah M./Syarifah Nur K.)