SBY gets 'C' in communication skills

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.