Poor info breeds rumors: Consultant

JAKARTA (JP): A lack of honest information is sure to breed rumors, a management consultant from the University of Indonesia, Rhenald Kasali, said yesterday at a seminar on economics.

"Since people need information to plan their actions, the lack of reliable information compels people to seek alternatives -- regardless of their merit," he said.

Defining rumors as unverified information, Rhenald explained that rumors' intensities depended on their themes and importance to individuals; combined with ambiguous information on their themes such as business jargon, symbolism and media self- censorship.

"Everyone can fall victim to rumors regardless of their educational, cultural or economic backgrounds. Every rumor has its own audience," Rhenald told reporters after his presentation at the one-day seminar entitled Why Are Our Businesses Easily Shaken by Rumors?.

Rhenald, a former journalist now pursuing a doctorate degree in the U.S., said the changing roles of the press, from defending the interests of the weak to developing themselves as businesses, have caused more rumors because the press have their own interests to defend.

Rhenald, who has written several books on public relations, said that rumors thrive when there are disturbances and instability; such as in wartime, in suppression of minority groups, in economic and political crises and in natural disasters.

He cited an example of the pork fat rumors in 1988, which were started by a food scientist at the Brawijaya University in Malang, East Java. The scientist, Dr. Susanto, found 34 food brand categories that contained pork fat according to their list of ingredients.

"Dr. Susanto thought that shortening, gelatin, and lard were made of pork fat. He was unable to control the whole process because in the collective transaction rumors got shaped and reshaped," Rhenald said.

Moslems were angered by the findings because the Koran prohibits them from consuming pork related products. Within a year, the list had increased to 63, and the Moslems' anger only dissipated after the government announced that its laboratory tests disproved Susanto's findings.

Rhenald said that sources of information should give only true information.

Rhenald also advised the public to develop the habit of verifying any information which they wanted to use.

"In this era of information, many Indonesians read only headlines and hastily decide actions, thinking that they have understood the matter," Rhenald said. (14)