Observer: Government Communication Must Be Ideal and Comfortable

Jakarta, VIVA – Retno Kusumastunduti, a Senior Communications Consultant from REQComm Strategic Consultant, believes that amidst the complexity of fiscal policy and today’s rapid digital flow, the effectiveness of delivering the state’s strategic programmes is often measured incorrectly.

“The success of government communication is often judged solely by administrative indicators: how massively press releases are distributed or how many socialisation billboards are installed in public spaces,” she stated in a briefing on Sunday (4/10/2026).

She noted that the essence of public communication in the modern era is not merely about reaching an audience. The primary benchmark is the extent to which a policy can be understood, trusted, and internalised by the community without triggering psychological friction at the grassroots level.

According to her, government communication has long been trapped in a one-way flow—from policymakers to the people—based on the assumption that whatever is decided is inherently correct and must be accepted.

“This rigid bureaucratic-administrative approach is obsolete. It is time for strategic positions, such as the Government Communication Agency (Bakom), to be led and filled by professional public relations practitioners who understand the art of perception management and social empathy,” said Retno.

The urgency for restructuring this leadership is evident when evaluating the track record of the Indonesian Government Communication Agency (Bakom) in responding to public issues. So far, she noted, Bakom is often caught in a ‘firefighting PR’ pattern.

“Instead of consistently setting the agenda through a grand narrative of government programmes—such as downstreaming, food security, and budget efficiency—public relations responses often only emerge after an issue or public criticism has already gone viral and become uncontrollable on social media,” she said.

Although Bakom’s mandate includes synchronising communication between central and regional governments, coordination for dissemination to the level of District/City Communication and Information Offices (Dinas Kominfo) often faces bureaucratic hurdles. Messages from the centre frequently stall at the level of bureaucratic ceremony, lacking a grounded campaign language suitable for grassroots communities.

The leadership dynamics within Bakom—which has recently seen shifts in figures ranging from Hasan Nasbi, Angga Raka Prabowo, Muhammad Qodari, to Syahganda Nainggolan—also demonstrate structural vulnerability.