[Kabar-indonesia] Something Is Wrong with SBY's Right-On Image

[JoyoNews at aol.com]

The Jakarta Post
Wednesday, August 2, 2006

Something is wrong with SBY's right-on image 

Rendi Akhmad Witular, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

To some, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has failed to capitalize on his 
fatherly charm and polished demeanor to boost his image in the mass media.

It cannot be wholly attributed to a rigid military background nor his 
reserved attitude. The problem seems to lie more with the missteps of his media 
minders, who have failed to ensure he puts his best face forward in public. 

Only recently a photo of Yudhoyono strumming the guitar at an earthquake 
refugee camp in Yogyakarta was carried on the front pages of several newspapers. 

It was not quite a Nero-fiddling-while-Rome-burned moment, but it appeared to 
some that Yudhoyono was spending his time entertaining Coordinating Minister 
for People's Welfare Aburizal Bakrie around a camp fire only a few meters from 
despairing citizens. 

It's the job of media fixers to step in and gently but firmly divert the 
President from the potential potholes that lie in his path, including making 
crowd-pleasing pledges that garner headlines but are sorely lacking in substance. 

"There must be changes in Yudhoyono's media campaign strategy," said Effendi 
Gazali, a communication expert from the University of Indonesia. 

"He can no longer act in front of the media as though he is still running a 
presidential campaign." 

In fact, Effendi said, Yudhoyono would do well to look to his second in 
command to learn the idiosyncrasies of media handling. Vice President Jusuf Kalla 
is adept at giving informative statements that go beyond idle grandstanding or 
superficialities. 

"Kalla always delivers detailed remarks. He is always hunted by journalists 
(for quotes). It is just difficult for Yudhoyono to grab the headlines if he 
keeps saying the usual 'I will' and 'I will'." 

It takes savvy and know-how to navigate this image-is-everything world. 
Kalla's success, to some degree, is due to his ability to hire the right people for 
the job. They include experienced journalists with the requisite knowledge to 
shape the desired media perceptions of the Vice President. 

Yudhoyono, instead, chose political analyst Andi Alfian Mallarangeng to act 
as his spokesman on domestic affairs and at the same manage media affairs. 

It's clear that, in the image stakes, Kalla's media advisers are polished 
professionals running circles around Yudhoyono's team. 

The news that Army Col. DJ Nachrowi is to replace Garibaldi Sudjatmiko as 
head of the President's press and media bureau has not inspired confidence for 
improved media outreach. 

"I have been told to head the bureau by my superior. I don't know when I will 
take my position. But I do hope everybody will support me," said Nachrowi, 
who is currently a senior public relations officer at the Defense Ministry. 

He is no stranger to the press: He was spokesman for the Jakarta Military 
Command during the May 1998 riots in Jakarta, under the patronage of now Lt. Gen. 
Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin -- currently secretary-general of the Defense Ministry. 

Nachrowi also has eight years' experience in PR during his military career. 

Sources at the Presidential Palace said he was specifically appointed to 
boost the President's stolid public image, including outdoing Kalla in capturing 
headlines. 

It would be a daunting proposition for the most masterful media wizards. Even 
with Nachrowi's considerable experience, there is a looming question mark 
over whether a strict military man can satisfy the incessant demands of an 
increasingly active press corps and put some magic in the President's public 
persona. 

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Joyo Indonesia News Service
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