Antara News · সাধারণ

The importance of two-way communication, developing the nation

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Jakarta (ANTARA) - Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto summoned Syahganda Nainggolan and Fadli Tri Hartono to his private residence in Hambalang, Bogor, on Oct. 4, two days after appointing them Head and Deputy Head of the Government Communication Agency (Bakom) at the State Palace in Jakarta.

The meeting, held on a Sunday afternoon at the president's hilltop retreat, focused on strategies to improve how the government communicates with the public, listens to their concerns, and responds to their aspirations.

By entrusting Bakom to Syahganda and Fadli, Prabowo aims for the government's communication machinery to do more than simply inform citizens about ongoing programs and achievements. He expects it to clearly convey the rationale, direction, and objectives behind every policy introduced by his administration.

He also expects Bakom to heed public aspirations, complaints, and criticism and relay them directly to him, as well as to the relevant ministries and agencies.

Syahganda echoed the president's message during a handover ceremony at Bakom's office on October 6, stressing the importance of two-way communication between the government and the public.

He said that while Prabowo wants people from all walks of life to better understand government programs, the president is equally determined to ensure that public concerns and challenges are heard and addressed.

It is perhaps fair to say that Bakom has long been viewed as the government's "loudspeaker," amplifying its messages and broadening public outreach by explaining the thinking behind policies and programs. That perception was particularly evident when the institution operated as the Presidential Communication Office.

After it was rebranded as Bakom on Sept. 17 last year, however, the agency began shifting toward a synchronizing role, placing greater emphasis on aligning communication narratives between the central and regional governments and preventing public confusion caused by overlapping messages.

Under its previous head, Muhammad Qodari, Bakom focused on communicating what the Prabowo administration regarded as key achievements during its first two years in office.

For the most part, the agency remained focused on delivering government narratives to the public in a largely one-way flow of communication. The meeting in Hambalang, however, suggested a possible change in direction. Under its new leadership, Bakom is expected to act not only as a "loudspeaker" but also as an "ear."

Still, signs of change had emerged even before the Hambalang directive. While attending a political party anniversary event in July, Prabowo assured the public that his administration was not averse to criticism, though he stressed that insults or slander should not be conflated with legitimate public aspirations.

The president has made his views on effective government communication increasingly clear. He wants public institutions to master the art of delivering messages that are not only informative but also engaging, encouraging dialogue rather than sounding like one-way pronouncements.

From outside to within

Two fates await voices raised against government policies: they either fade into the noise of public discourse or find their way to the decision-making table. What steers their course is not how loudly criticism is voiced but how far it penetrates the government's processes for absorbing and responding to issues.

To gain a fuller picture of the government's shift toward two-way public communication, one may also look at the appointment of academic and political commentator Rocky Gerung as one of the 26 members of the Presidential Advisory Council (Wantimpres) on the same day the new Bakom leadership took shape.

The arrival of Syahganda and Rocky in government neatly illustrates the two channels of public communication that Prabowo appears to envision. While the Bakom chief is primarily tasked with amplifying government narratives, the council member is expected to bring external perspectives into the corridors of power.

Their roles intersect at a common challenge: how to translate voices from outside government into meaningful input that can shape policymaking.

Syahganda's track record adds another layer to the story of his appointment. Over the years, he has cultivated a reputation as an activist and political analyst capable of shaping public opinion outside formal institutions. In 2010, he founded Sabang Merauke Circle, a platform dedicated to analyzing and critiquing public policies.

Now at the helm of an agency whose role arguably contrasts with that of the platform he established, Syahganda faces a question that may linger in the public mind: Can he absorb criticism as effectively as he once articulated it?

Beyond explaining government policies in terms the public can readily grasp, he is also expected to focus on the issues that give rise to criticism rather than fixate on how it is expressed.

A similar challenge awaits Rocky as he enters Wantimpres. The academic has long been in the public spotlight for his outspoken criticism of government programs, policies, and official positions on a wide range of issues.

Seeking to dispel concerns that a government appointment might blunt his critical edge, Rocky described his acceptance of the advisory post as an effort to bring his ideals from outside government into its ranks.

He argued that Wantimpres members are expected to provide informed assessments of policy impacts and their alignment with the president's vision.

That distinction draws a line between criticism as public expression and criticism as policy consideration. Outside government, criticism illuminates problems, attracts public attention, and demands an official response. From within, it serves a different purpose.

Yet a change in position does not guarantee a change in how power works. Critical voices entering the government can still dissolve into buzzes if they are treated merely as opinions, recorded as feedback, or passed along administrative channels without meaningful follow-up.

Criticism becomes consequential only when it can challenge government assumptions, expose policy consequences that may have been overlooked, and open avenues for correction before problems worsen.

As Rocky warned, bureaucracy often stands between the government and the public, while perception is the first thing people absorb from communication. This observation shifts the discussion from personalities to institutions.

Proximity to the center of power alone will not ensure that public voices are heard if administrative chains continue to filter, delay, or even sever information before it reaches the intended decision-makers.

Ultimately, the significance of these developments cannot be measured solely by who occupies positions within the government.

The real test lies in whether differing views are given room to influence policy and whether those in power are willing to respond to public concerns.

If that function works, communication will no longer serve merely as a means of explaining decisions that have already been made. It will also become part of the process through which policies are shaped in response to the very issues they are intended to address.

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