Analyst: Palace Communication Running Well, Responding to Public Issues

Jakarta (ANTARA) - Political communication analyst Hendri Satrio (Hensa) assesses that there is a tangible change in the way the Presidential Palace communicates with the public. According to him, although the Palace’s communication style still appears spontaneous, it now seems more concise, firmer, and directly addresses public issues. “I see that the Palace’s political communication has improved, although it seems more spontaneous, but because what is conveyed feels more precise, shorter, and straight to the point of the issue, in the end the public gets answers to those controversies,” said Hensa in a statement in Jakarta on Friday. This change, according to Hensa, has become noticeable alongside the increasing active role of Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya in responding to issues developing in society. This, he said, indicates that the Palace now not only works but also ensures its results are clearly conveyed. He assesses that the presence of the Cabinet Secretary in explaining emerging issues gives the impression that the Palace is now beginning to realise that government work must also be accompanied by organised communication. “Because if the work is good but not clearly communicated to the people, the people will always wonder about the government’s performance,” said Hensa. Hensa also highlighted the direct effect of this new approach on public calm. He stated that the presence of the Cabinet Secretary and the Indonesian Government Communication Agency (Bakom) in responding to issues not only produces statements but also certainty. “So, the presence of Bakom and the Cabinet Secretary here is not only giving statements but also certainty for the public regarding the issues that are currently being widely discussed,” he said. This shift in style is also felt in the tone. The Palace, which was previously often seen as defensive, is now beginning to move towards a more solution-oriented direction. “The public certainly appreciates firm communication that is not verbose, and lately, that style is starting to appear more consistent from the Palace,” said Hensa. Therefore, he believes that patterns of communication like this that already exist must be maintained. He is convinced that if this pattern is maintained, public trust in the government will increasingly be formed. “This must be maintained because in the end the people will become calmer because there will always be communication conveyed by the government,” said Hensa.