Communication is crucial in governance, particularly in managing public perception of government policies and actions. Mastery of effective communication strategies is essential to ensure that the messages conveyed are well received and understood by the public.
However, the ability to listen to public aspirations, criticisms, and feedback also needs attention to ensure that the programs implemented are aligned with and beneficial to public interests.
This issue was raised in a panel discussion titled “Policies and Communication Strategies of the President of the Republic of Indonesia” at Fisipol UGM on Wednesday (Dec. 11).
The discussion, organized by the Election Corner of Fisipol UGM, featured Hasan Nasbih, Head of the Presidential Communication Office (PCO), and Alfath Bagus Panuntun El Nur Indonesia, a lecturer from the Department of Politics and Government at UGM.
Hasan Nasbih explained that the PCO is a non-structural agency that operates independently. It reports directly to the president and is fully responsible for all forms of presidential communication.
Under President Prabowo’s administration, the strategic communication focus is symbolized by the numbers 8-17-8, representing eight astacita (eight guiding principles), 17 priority programs, and eight fast-track best outcome programs.
“In fact, we are more of an office that communicates government achievements, the progress of government promises, the priority programs that have been carried out, and when the targets will be completed, though we cannot avoid questions on other matters,” Nasbih explained.
He also acknowledged public criticism about potential overlapping roles between his office and other institutions, such as the Ministry of Communication and Digital Affairs, the Presidential Staff Office, and the Secretariat of State, which also handles government communications.
However, he emphasized that there is a clear division of tasks and strict SOPs to help prevent miscommunication.
“PCO carries great hope for harmonizing communication work between ministries and institutions in the future so that there are no more blunders in information,” he concluded.
Alfath Panuntun responded to Hasan’s remarks by stating that instead of having more spokespeople, Indonesia actually needs “listeners.”
According to him, this is based on Presidential Regulation No. 82 of 2024, which serves as the legal foundation for the PCO’s work.
“If we look at this, there are 11 chapters and 53 articles, but there is not a single term or statement about listening, whereas communication requires actors—there needs to be a sender, a speaker, and a listener,” Panuntun said.
He further explained that the grand design of this regulation suggests that the government feels powerful with the establishment of the PCO as the center of information, especially for strategic policies.
Panuntun expressed concern that the PCO might become an institution closed off to public aspirations and feedback.
He then suggested the importance of creating urgency for a “listener” role by fostering dialogue with the public. This is key to building government legitimacy, public trust, and engagement.
He emphasized that the dialogue should focus on identifying who would engage in such conversations, whether it be the president, ministers, spokespersons, or perhaps even a new “listener” role.
“So, who will conduct the dialogue? It could be the president directly, a minister, or perhaps there will be a listener in the future,” Panuntun said.
He stressed the importance of listening to vulnerable groups, such as farmers, fishermen, eviction victims, and other marginalized communities.
Moreover, he mentioned that the issue of communication lacked detail. The PCO should pay more attention to how messages are written and the choice of public dialogue formats, whether through warm, close discussions or mass broadcasts via social media and other media.
“If we look at the tools, we can see simple signs that indicate the government is less engaged. If it’s not viral, it won’t get attention,” Panuntun said.
He lamented that many cases only receive attention after being made viral, an irony in a society where petitions on platforms like change.org, Instagram stories, and Snapgrams are needed to get the government to address various issues.
“This phenomenon needs to be fixed immediately,” he added.
Lastly, Panuntun offered a solution for the PCO: engaging in two-way communication. Communication cannot rely solely on the sender transmitting messages to the audience.
According to him, the audience should also be able to send messages to those with the mandate or authority to develop policies. Conversations or dialogues in warm settings can occur in pockets of societal discontent, such as traditional markets.
“There, we hear complaints like why the market is empty or why income has declined yearly. Vendors are not trying to get rich or profit; they are just trying to survive,” he explained.
According to Panuntun, reaching out to weak groups will make them feel that the state is present and listening. The “listener” will facilitate a connection between decision-makers and public opinion.
The main point of this two-way communication is related to giving a voice to the voiceless—how the PCO can amplify the voices of people who may not have access or communication channels with the government or officials.
“With points like these, I believe public aspirations can be better received, and in the end, we can strengthen the voice, not the noise,” he concluded.
Author: Triya Andriyani
Photographer: Donnie