PR firms found lacking in depth

JAKARTA (JP): The allure of a pretty face is still considered the most important component in running a public relations firm in Indonesia, a mass communications expert said Saturday.

Newly installed professor M. Alwi Dahlan of University of Indonesia told a course on public relations that physical appearance was championed at the expense of professionalism.

"Talking about public relations is synonymous with beautiful female staff, regardless of their capabilities as employees," said Alwi, a founder of the Association of Indonesian Public Relations (Perhumas).

The course, jointly held by Perhumas and the International Public Relations Association (IPRA), ends today. IPRA founder Sam Black was another speaker in the course.

Alwi recommended the public relations sector should focus on professionalism in preparing for the next century.

"The basic roles of public relations staff are to build good images of the companies, corporations or institutions they represent," Alwi said.

Alwi, who also chairs the Pancasila state ideology propagation agency, said the nation's public relations sector would take on tougher competition and mastery of technology in the near future.

He called on Indonesian public relations professionals to promote local products in the face of the unavoidable entry of foreign companies in the 21st century.

"PR staff often manage to promote foreign products to become part of the daily needs of people here," Alwi said. "Why does not he or she do the same thing for local products?"

He warned that in a free global market, Indonesian consumers would opt for foreign products if they were unfamiliar with the competitiveness of local ones.

"National PR is obliged to advocate nationalism in the economy and information to enable our people to love local goods and services," he said.

"We don't want to see Indonesia become a big market for foreign products but fail to sell its own products on home soil after 2003."

The year 2003 has been set for the implementation of a free trade area in Southeast Asia. (amd)