Indonesia needs effective PR, not propaganda

Indonesia needs effective PR, not propaganda

Yuli Ismartono, Jakarta

Now that the dust has settled over our successful general and
presidential elections, it is time to start selling Indonesia.

In light of the many changes that have transpired in Indonesia
-- and in the world for that matter -- the only kind of public
relations campaign that is likely to be effective, given our past
history of less-than-democratic regimes, are not those that
simply carry the government's messages. If it is to be credible,
it must be a realistic and critical campaign.

Yes, like it or not, that is what we must sell: credibility.
Telling the world that all is roses in this country would be an
outright lie; that we are on our way and committed to improving
the situation, warts and all, would be far, far more credible.

Promise and potential is what we have, but to cover up the
fact that corruption and legal uncertainty remain the biggest
stumbling blocks would leave us in a state of denial.

By all means, organize government-to-government road shows,
which are, admittedly, very much needed. But the very moment the
government dictates the messages that are to be conveyed in a
genuine public relations campaign aimed at a global audience, the
campaign would cease to be a people-to-people form of
communication. And the biggest loss would be credibility.

Unlike his predecessor, the newly appointed State Minister of
Communications and Information, Sofyan A. Djalil, is a
professional and not a political party appointee. So on this
score, Muhammad Qodari, who argued in this paper not long ago for
a professional information minister to ensure the success of
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono's administration, ought to be
happy.

Qodari's point that the communication and information ministry
must be an effective "public relations agency" is apt. If the new
government is serious about transparency and honesty, about
keeping the public informed of its policies and programs, and
acts out its commitment to attract direct foreign investment to
alleviate unemployment, it must make certain that this ministry
is run by experts in communication and public opinion.

One big caveat, however, is that the ministry must not be a
vehicle for government propaganda; neither must it take on the
role of a media minder, as it did during the Soeharto days.

So, one might ask, what else is there for the ministry to do?
Plenty. For one thing, the most urgent task at hand is to repair
the country's image since it embarked on the rocky road to
democratization six years ago.

Such a mission must not target only the outside world, but
more importantly, the national population, which would be served
well by more positive and uplifting news. This is precisely the
point: There is plenty of good news around, even if it doesn't
always make it on the newspapers or television screens.

Take the heart-warming story that appeared recently in a
regional magazine about Susi Pudjiastuti from Pangandaran on West
Java's southern coast. She started out buying fish from fishermen
along the coast on a motorcycle and retailing it to markets and
restaurants. In less than 10 years, she had built up the business
to a point where she is buying two airplanes to fly live seafood
to Jakarta and to regional markets. In the wake of the financial
crisis, such success stories would do wonders in countering the
people's wounded pride in this beleaguered country of ours.

Then there is the case of a teenager from the remote and often
neglected province of Papua, Septinus George Saa, who recently
won a coveted award in the International Physics Olympiad. Tout
him around the country, show that honest and hardworking people
can succeed.

For those of us who are always carping about the overwhelming
corruption that has taken root in our society, why do we not hear
more about those people in Sumatra, South Sulawesi and Cirebon,
to name a few, who dared to take on their corrupt legislators?

Certainly, not enough analysis and discussion on sensitive
issues are featured on the 11 national television stations.
Television is, after all, our most popular medium. Time after
time, it is proven that a crisis or conflict is caused by a
failure to communicate effectively. Could the problems in Poso,
Ambon, and recently, in Mamasa, southwestern Sulawesi, have been
averted if contentious issues had been better communicated? This
is difficult to say, but all that can be done in those areas now
is post-conflict damage control, which never really addresses the
roots of the problem.

Many good things that are happening are not being effectively
disseminated and shared among the people. They could go a long
way towards building goodwill and support. But the government
doesn't need to disseminate propaganda on how good the situation
is; it should instead urge the public to be proactive in
improving the situation.

What the government really needs to do is provide the tools to
mold the public image, such as campaigns to keep the streets
clean, to stop drug abuse or to teach the people to queue.
Singapore, a tiny city-state of three million was able to attain
a high level of discipline by conducting public awareness and
public education campaigns one after another.

In Indonesia, campaigns for everyday matters are urgently
needed: throw trash in its proper place, cross roads only at
zebra crossings or pedestrian bridges, follow traffic
regulations. This is what the government should be doing more of;
and this, more than anything else, paints a picture of a
government that cares.

Yes, it is equally important to get the message out to key
countries that provide economic and development assistance to
Indonesia.

In short, the government needs to embark upon a comprehensive
public relations campaign to improve the country's image, both
domestically and internationally. Such an effort would instill a
much-needed confidence among the people of this country -- and
who knows -- it might, miraculously, prod people into doing
something positive and productive. We certainly need the
encouragement.

To its credit, the communications ministry under Megawati
initiated a unique road show, allowing five independent experts
the freedom to tour Australia, the United States and Europe to
explain the positive changes taking place in Indonesia. It cannot
have been easy for a government institution to permit a former
diplomat, a businessman, a journalist, a military expert and a
religious scholar to represent the country and its interests.

It must be said that it was precisely because there was no
government representation that the delegation and its messages
were credible and accepted, as was evident in the positive and
objective media coverage that ensued.

The writer is a journalist and a communications specialist.