SBY gets 'C' in communication skills

Tb. Arie Rukmantara, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

After a year in power, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono seems unable to improve his political communication skills so as to sustain his popularity, some experts say.

A number of political communications experts on Tuesday gave the President an average grade "C" or "6" for his administration's capabilities in communicating its policies to the public.

"This grade would allow the President to pass an examination, but he needs to take extra classes to improve his score," said Effendi Gazali, a professor in political communications.

Effendi was among the scholars who had gathered at the University of Indonesia's Salemba campus in Central Jakarta to appraise the President's performance after one year in office.

Effendi said both Susilo and his ministers had practiced an "illogical, unsympathetic and self-centered style of communication".

"For example, the President once said he did not sleep enough because of his devotion to serving the public. That's not the point; he could sleep as much as he wanted to as long as, for example, he could provide a sufficient supply of kerosene at an affordable price to the people," Effendi said.

Sukardi Rinakit of the Sugeng Sarjadi Syndicated polling organization said the President's failures as regards political communication were affected by disharmony between him and his vice president, Jusuf Kalla.

In political communication, the relationship between the actors is vital as once it is disrupted, an open conflict will emerge.

"The government's plan to raise fuel prices is a good example. The President said the increase would range between 35 percent and 50 percent and that it would take effect next year. But, the Vice President said it could exceed 50 percent and would come into effect in October. This shows that the two men did not share the same vision and mission in governing this country," Sukardi said.

Therefore, Sukardi urged the President to take back power by ordering his Vice President to refrain from making political statements.

"The President must tell his Vice President that the political statements are for him to make," Sukardi asserted.

Sugeng Sarjadi Syndicated's most recent polls, conducted in January and September, revealed that 20 out of 33 ministers scored below 6, with only the minister of foreign affairs and the minister of defense receiving grades of more than 7.

"Those who scored below 6 should pack their bags," Sukardi said.

Alfan Alfian, research director of The Akbar Tanjung Institute, said that even though Susilo's public speaking skills earned him popularity, he faced problems in communicating with senior politicians.

"He has problems in communicating with former presidents and senior politicians, such as Gus Dur, Megawati and Wiranto. Therefore, every time these noted politicians meet, Susilo's supporters become scared," Alfan claimed.

Alfan asserted that Susilo's biggest failing in his first year in office was his poor managerial skills.

"A manager's duty is to delegate work to his or her subordinates ... But, what the President has been doing is shouldering all the work himself," said Alfan, adding that this could cost Susilo the public's trust.

Presidential spokesman Andi Mallarangeng did not deny the President's weaknesses, but said that no other world leader was as accessible to the people as Susilo.

"There is no president or prime minister except him who provides a direct access to the public to communicate with him, albeit by text message," said Andi, who himself holds a PhD in political science. Susilo receives 1,500 text messages every day, mostly expressing support and prayers for his administration.

"That's not all. In order to reply to the senders, the President gives live radio broadcasts on the Elshinta and Trijaya radio stations. That shows that he wants to communicate with the public," Andi told the audience, made up mostly of postgraduate students majoring in political communications.