The role of social media platforms in advancing the cause of government organisations has been amplified with the onset of security and safety protocols rolled out to mitigate the spread of the COVID-19 virus.
Agencies in Indonesia have long realised the advantage of tapping into social media to disseminate information to the public. Banking on this advantage, the Marine and Fisheries Research and Human Resources Agency (BRSDM), a department under the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, recently held a virtual forum on public relations (PR) aimed at optimising the use of social media in the realm of information dissemination. There, the Ministry underscored the importance of having a change in mindset. There must be a need to look beyond conventional media and learn to adapt to other forms of digital media to improve operations.
During the event, Kusdiantoro, the Secretary of the Agency, said that by utilising social media, organisations across the country can unlock many opportunities to inform the general public of the undertakings and milestones achieved by the Ministry.
To emphasise, he cited earlier reports that showed Indonesia is among the top 10 countries which spend the most time on the internet. According to the Digital 2020 Global Digital Review published by Hootsuite and social marketing agency We Are Social, internet users in Indonesia in the age range of 16 – 64 years old spent an average of 7 hours and 59 minutes surfing the internet every day during 2019. This is longer than the average time recorded globally at 6 hours and 43 minutes.
The Secretary added: “The high use of social media in Indonesia is a great opportunity that can be used by government public relations to broadcast and socialise the work achievements of the Ministry of Marine Affairs and Fisheries, especially from BRSDM.”
To fully reap the benefits of utilising social media platforms, the Secretary noted that human resources and officials in PR must have an in-depth understanding of how the internet and social media work. It is likewise key to have a broad understanding of how to effectively manage these channels. These actions will allow the organisation to understand key concepts and data related to government policies and reforms that they can share with the public.
This is of significance to the Marine and Fishery Ministry which currently has 9,202 employees across its various departments. These do not include fisheries instructors, students and other key figures. The Secretary added that without proper publication, marine and fishery activities will not be optimised.
The expanded role of public relations
Other officials present during the online event shared the same sentiments. Tb Ardi Januar, the Special Staff of the Minister of Marine Affairs and Fisheries for Public Communication Media Relations, stressed that the role of PR is crucial in following the mandate laid down by Indonesian President Joko Widodo for the Ministry to enhance communication ties between stakeholders and fishermen.
He explained that to attain this objective, the Ministry must keep its communication lines open to key players in the industry. It is also equally crucial to be able to effectively convey the policies of the Ministry to the public to strengthen public transparency and accountability. He added: “Public relations must also be able to compare institutions so that the public is well informed and able to counter issues, as well as clarifying controversial issues, bridging things that are unclear and straightening confusing information –that is the role of public relations.”
With the proliferation of new social media channels and citizen journalism, streamlining public relations is made easier. The trick is to use these platforms innovatively and creatively. In boosting social media presence, key points to be prioritised include helping disseminate the government’s flagship programmes in infrastructure and the economy.
Initiating reforms in public relations is only one of the undertakings set forth by government agencies in Indonesia. In an earlier report by OpenGov Asia, the Ministry of Communication and Information noted that it is developing several e-commerce platforms to assist Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises.