PUBLIC RELATIONS IN PRACTICE BY MARIA WONGSONAGORO
PUBLIC RELATIONS CONSULTANT
LESSON 23 PUBLIC RELATIONS AND THE PANDEMIC
(Part Four)
Lesson 23 is the part four of the Lesson on Public
Relations and the Pandemic as we continue to seek
insights on how some Ministries are handling
communication strategies and programs during these
times of uncertainties. We now look to the Ministry
for Maritime and Investment Affairs for such insights
as conveyed by Khairul Hidayati, Head of the Public
Relations Department.
Communications Strategy of the Coordinating
Ministry for Maritime and Investment Affairs
(Kemenko Marves) in Dealing with the Covid-19
Pandemic
The Covid-19 Pandemic has impacted greatly on
various sectors. Multi-dimensional efforts would be
required to handle the crisis. Aside from the health
aspects, the most effective communication strategies
are also needed to encourage the public’s behavior.
As coordinator of the PPKM (Restrictions on
Community Activities), the Minister for Maritime and
Investment Affairs (Menko Marves) declared the need
for public communications in order to create feelings of
optimism, safety and togetherness among the
Indonesian people.
Such optimism and safe feelings among the people in
facing the pandemic are seen as helping them be in a
better and stronger position in facing the dire situation.
Moreover, feelings of togetherness, according to
sociologists, are also needed to encourage people to
take part in the handling of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Several psychologists have suggested that the strategy
to deal with mental health problems in the midst of
uncertainties and fear due to the Covid-19 pandemic,
is to generate positive feelings among the people.
The public communications undertaken by Kemenko
Marves are in line with the instructions of President
Joko Widodo, namely that the government show
seriousness, preparedness and ability to deal with the
pandemic.
PR IN PRACTICE Lesson 23 Public Relations and the Pandemic (Part Four)
Lesson 23 merupakan bagian ke-empat tentang Public
Relations and the Pandemic, untuk melanjutkan
pemahaman insights dari beberapa Kementerian tentang
bagaimana menetapkan strategi komunikasi dan
pelaksanaannya dalam keadaan yang serba tidak
menentu. Mari melihat pada Kementerian Koordinasi
Bidang Kemaritiman dan Investasi seperti yang
disampaikan oleh Khairul Hidayati, Kepala Bagian Humas.
Strategi Komunikasi Kementerian Koordinator Bidang
Kemaritiman dan Investasi (Kemenko Marves) Menangani
Pandemi Covid-19
Pandemi Covid-19 memberikan dampak besar kepada
berbagai sektor. Penanganannya pun memerlukan berbagai
upaya multidimensi. Selain upaya perbaikan kesehatan,
strategi komunikasi yang tepat sasaran juga diperlukan
untuk mendorong perubahan perilaku publik.
Sebagai koordinator Pemberlakuan Pembatasan Kegiatan
Masyarakat (PPKM) Wilayah Jawa Bali. Menko Bidang
Kemaritiman dan Investasi (Menko Marves) mengatakan
perlunya komunikasi publik untuk membangun/
menciptakan rasa optimisme, rasa aman serta
kebersamaan di tengah-tengah masyarakat Indonesia.
Sikap optimisme dan rasa aman di masyarakat saat
menghadapi pandemi ini dipandang dapat membantu
mereka lebih baik dan kuat dalam menghadapi situasi
genting tersebut.
Di samping itu, rasa kebersamaan menurut sosiolog juga
diperlukan agar masyarakat ikut berpartisipasi dalam
pengendalian pandemi Covid-19. Selain itu, beberapa
psikolog menganjurkan masyarakat agar tetap berpikir
positif, sebagai strategi mengatasi masalah kesehatan
mental di tengah ketidakpastian dan kecemasan yang
tinggi akibat pandemi Covid-19.
Komunikasi publik yang dilakukan Kemenko Marves
selaras dengan instruksi Presiden Joko Widodo supaya
pemerintah menunjukkan keseriusan, kesiapan, dan
kemampuan dalam menanggulangi wabah virus ini.
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Therefore, Kemenko Marves continues to update and
share information on the efforts and policies in
handling the Covid-19 pandemic which are being
implemented, as well as other actions to be executed
in measurable terms based on developments.
In the implementation, various constraints and
challenges, both from internal as well as external
sources, were faced in the efforts to compile various
information concerning the pandemic as well as the
efforts to deal with the situation.
The internal constraints were, among others, the lack
of synchronization on the Covid-19 data between the
central government and regional governments,
resulting in differences in the number of active cases,
deaths, to availability of hospital beds.
Furthermore, other internal constraints constitute the
lack of quick responses from related ministries or
institutions on questions from the public concerning
the policies in enforcing the PPKM, which in the end,
created negative responses.
The external challenges, among others, concerned the
proliferation of misinformation or hoax about the
Covid-19 pandemic and how it is handled in the social
media and the daily public conversations.
These challenges were subsequently dealt with through
intense coordination and communication with various
stakeholders, such as ministries, regional heads, the
Army and Police, health experts, academicians,
religious leaders, public figures, private sector, the
public, students and other stakeholders.
This action was taken to discuss strategies to deal with
the pandemic, accommodate suggestions, inputs and
criticisms, as well as seeking the best formula to deal
with the pandemic. Also, to show the efforts of the
government to deal with the critical situation as soon
as possible.
In normal conditions, the target audience of the
government or ministry’s communications campaign is
very segmented, however, during the pandemic such as
what we are facing, the target audience of the
government covers all levels of the public of various
ages.
Aside from producing information on the pandemic
(infodemi), Kemenko Marves also produces other
contents which are sourced from the conventional as
well as social media.
PR IN PRACTICE Lesson 23 Public Relations and the Pandemic (Part Four)
Berkenaan dengan ini, Kemenko Marves terus
memperbaharui dan berbagi informasi atas upaya dan
kebijakan apa yang dilakukan dalam menangani pandemi
covid-19, baik yang sudah berjalan maupun rencana atau
langkah lainnya yang akan dieksekusi secara terukur
dengan melihat perkembangan yang ada.
Dalam perjalanannya, upaya penyusunan berbagai
informasi mengenai pandemi Covid-19 maupun
penanggulangannya kerap menemui berbagai kendala dan
tantangan. Bila dijabarkan, kendala-kendala tersebut
muncul dari internal serta eksternal.
Kendala internal antara lain tidak sinkronnya data Covid-19
antara pusat dan daerah yang menyebabkan munculnya
perbedaan kasus aktif, kasus kematian, hingga
ketersediaan tempat tidur rawat.
Selain itu, kendala internal lainnya adalah kurang
cepatnya respon kementerian/lembaga terkait untuk
menjawab pertanyaan publik mengenai kebijakan
pemberlakuan PPKM yang berujung pada respon negatif
publik.
Kemudian, tantangan eksternal yang muncul antara lain
banyaknya misinformasi atau kabar bohong seputar
pandemi Covid-19 dan penanganannya di linimasa media
sosial serta percakapan sehari-hari masyarakat.
Tantangan-tantangan ini kemudian diatasi dengan
koordinasi dan komunikasi intens dengan berbagai pihak,
seperti kementerian/lembaga, kepala daerah, institusi TNI-
Polri, ahli kesehatan, akademisi, tokoh agama, tokoh
publik, pihak swasta, masyarakat, mahasiswa, dan pihak
lainnya.
Hal ini dilakukan untuk membahas strategi
penanggulangan wabah, menampung saran, masukan,
dan kritik, serta mencari formula terbaik untuk mengatasi
pandemi Covid-19. Selain itu juga menunjukkan sikap
pemerintah untuk segera mengatasi situasi kritis yang ada
saat ini.
Dalam kondisi normal, target audience kampanye
komunikasi pemerintah atau kementerian sangat
tersegmentasi, namun pada masa pandemi seperti saat ini,
target audience pemerintah meliputi semua lapisan
masyarakat dari berbagai usia.
Selain memproduksi konten-konten berisi tentang
informasi seputar pandemi (Infodemi), Kemenko Marves
juga memproduksi konten lain yang berasal dari
monitoring media konvensional dan media sosial.
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An example is the videography content which answers
the issues on the elimination of data on deaths as a
variable in measuring the PPKM level of a certain
region.
Another example is the complete infographic on the
regulations adopted for PPKM level 2,3 and 4 in Java
and Bali.
Such responsive content has received high engagement
levels among Kemenko Marves’ social media, as aside
from receiving trusted information, they can also ask
about the various PPKM policies easily.
Other information communicated constituted the
progress and performance of how the pandemic is
being handled, on a continuous and regular basis, since
the Minister was appointed by President Joko Widodo
as Coordinator of the Emergency PPKM, currently
PPKM based on WHO level.
Moreover, other information communicated
concerned the options to handle the pandemic which
can be taken during the PPKM, as well as conducting
joint evaluations.
In the monitoring phase of inputs or responses from
receivers of information, the monitoring and analysis of
mass media news and social media postings were also
made, which were then collated in a report.
To reach the target audience, aside from using the
conventional media such as print media and television
with Minister Luhut as the key speaker in a talk show,
Kemenko Marves also utilized the social media (twitter,
instagram, facebook, youtube, tiktok, podcast and
whatsapp), and even popular channels such as the
podcast of Deddy Corbuzier, and others with the
intention to spread the spirit and the reach to the mass
audience.
Kemenko Marves also utilized the communication
channels of netizens or other Kemenko Marves’ social
network to assist in the distribution of the
communications campaign related to the handling of
the pandemic. This was then followed up and applied
to the dissemination of information through multi-
platforms, mainly through the social media.
The selection of the channels was conducted based on
the 2021 Nielsen survey which found that during the
pandemic, 90% of Indonesian respondents utilize the
social media.
PR IN PRACTICE Lesson 23 Public Relations and the Pandemic (Part Four)
Salah satu contohnya adalah konten videografis yang
menjawab isu tentang penghilangan data kematian
sebagai variabel dalam pengukuran level PPKM suatu
daerah.
Contoh lainnya adalah infografis lengkap mengenai aturan
yang diterapkan pada daerah level 2,3 dan 4 dalam PPKM
di Pulau Jawa dan Bali.
Konten-konten responsif semacam ini memperoleh tingkat
engagement yang tinggi di kalangan pengikut media sosial
Kemenko Marves karena selain memperoleh informasi
terpercaya, mereka juga dapat menanyakan hal-hal
seputar kebijakan PPKM dengan mudah.
Informasi lainnya yang juga dikomunikasikan adalah
mengenai kemajuan dan kinerja penanggulangan Pandemi
Covid-19 secara kontinu atau berkala, yakni sejak Menko
Luhut ditunjuk oleh Presiden Joko Widodo sebagai
Koordinator Pemberlakuan Pembatasan Kegiatan
Masyarakat (PPKM) Darurat Jawa Bali, kini PPKM
berdasarkan level WHO.
Di samping itu, hal lain yang dikomunikasikan ialah terkait
opsi-opsi rencana penanggulangan pandemi Covid-19 yang
bisa diambil pada masa PPKM berlangsung setelah
melakukan evaluasi secara bersama-sama.
Lebih jauh, pada tahapan pemantauan umpan balik atau
respons dari penerima informasi selanjutnya dilakukan
pantauan dan analisa pemberitaan media massa dan sosial
media yang kemudian dituangkan dalam laporan.
Untuk menjangkau target audience, selain memanfaatkan
media konvensional seperti media cetak dan televisi yang
menghadirkan Menko Luhut sebagai narasumber utama
dalam sebuah acara bincang atau talkshow, Kemenko
Marves juga memanfaatkan media sosial (twitter,
instagram, facebook, youtube, tiktok, podcast, dan
whatsapp) bahkan kanal media popular seperti podcast
Deddy Corbuzier, dan lainnya juga dilakukan dengan ikhtiar,
semangat, dan tujuan untuk menjangkau target massa atau
audiens yang lebih banyak lagi.
Kemenko Marves juga memanfaatkan jalur komunikasi
dengan mitra warga net atau jejaring sosial Kemenko
Marves lainnya untuk membantu menyebarluaskan
kampanye komunikasi terkait penanganan pandemi Covid-
19. Hal ini kemudian ditindaklanjuti serta diaplikasikan
dengan melakukan diseminasi informasi lewat multi-
platform, utamanya melalui media sosial.
Pemilihan kanal ini dilakukan salah satunya dengan
berbasis pada survey Nielsen (2021) yang menyebutkan
bahwa pada masa pandemi ini 90% responden Indonesia
memanfaatkan media sosial.
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PUBLIC RELATIONS CONSULTANT
There are four key messages which are always
conveyed by Kemenko Marves, in its public
communications,
✓ 3T (testing, tracing and treatment)
✓ 3M (wearing mask, washing hands, keep your
distance and avoid crowds)
✓ Vaccination, and
✓ Sanctions for those who violate health
protocols
The four key messages are cascaded into related
messages, namely that the country ensures the
availability of medicine, vaccines, medical devices,
oxygen stock, hospitals, doctors, health workers, to
social assistance for people impacted by the PPKM
policy.
These messages are conveyed continuously to the
public. Not only that, to raise public optimism,
Kemenko Marves also communicated all assistance
received to handle the Covid-19 pandemic from various
parties in the form of medical devices, oxygen and
other forms of assistance, which subsequently were
distributed to those in need.
Kemenko Marves also has a team tasked with the
anticipation and handling in the event a public
communication crisis occurs. The communication
process, from upstream to downstream, continues with
the involvement of human resources across internal
working units in Kemenko Marves.
One of the important factors maintained continuously
is the consistency of information concerning the
handling of the Covid-19 pandemic during the time the
PPKM is in force, conveyed by all elements in Kemenko
Marves. This means that the information conveyed to
the public comes from one source, thereby avoiding
disinformation or contradictory narration.
PR IN PRACTICE Lesson 23 Public Relations and the Pandemic (Part Four)
Ada empat pesan utama yang selalu digaungkan dalam
praktik komunikasi publik yang disampaikan oleh Kemenko
Marves, yaitu
✓ 3T (pengetesan, pelacakan, dan perawatan)
✓ Upaya pencegahan 3M (Memakai Masker,
Menjauhi Kerumunan, dan Menjaga Jarak)
✓ Vaksinasi, serta
✓ Sanksi bagi masyarakat yang melanggar protokol
kesehatan.
Dari keempat pesan utama tersebut, muncul beberapa
pesan yang merupakan turunannya, yakni Negara hadir
untuk menjamin ketersediaan obat, vaksinasi, alat
kesehatan, stok oksigen, rumah sakit, dokter, tenaga
kesehatan hingga bantuan sosial bagi warga yang
terdampak oleh kebijakan PPKM.
Pesan-pesan ini terus disebarluaskan kepada publik secara
berkesinambungan. Tak hanya itu, untuk menambah rasa
optimisme masyarakat, Kemenko Marves juga
mengomunikasikan semua bantuan untuk penanganan
Covid-19 yang diterima dari berbagai pihak dalam bentuk
alat kesehatan, oksigen, dan bantuan bentuk lainnya yang
selanjutnya disalurkan atau didistribusikan kepada yang
membutuhkan.
Kemudian, Kemenko Marves juga mempunyai tim yang
bertugas untuk mengantisipasi dan mengatasi bila terjadi
krisis komunikasi publik terkait penanganan pandemi
Covid-19. Pola komunikasi publik dari hulu ke hilir ini terus
berjalan secara kontinu dengan melibatkan sumber daya
manusia lintas satuan kerja di internal Kemenko Marves.
Salah satu faktor penting yang terus dijaga adalah
konsistensi isi informasi terkait penanganan pandemi
Covid-19 selama kebijakan PPKM yang disampaikan oleh
seluruh unsur di Kemenko Marves.
Artinya, informasi yang disampaikan atau ditujukan
kepada publik selalu satu pintu, sehingga tidak terjadi
disinformasi atau perbedaan narasi yang sudah dibangun.
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The Government has conducted various efforts to
control the pandemic from the health, transportation,
economic and social aspects. Nevertheless, to convince
the public to take part in contributing to the efforts was
not easy.
Towards that aim, it was absolutely necessary to
maintain the alignment of public communications
among ministries and institutions. Ideally, each
message from a government institution must be
aligned to other messages from other institutions. And
most importantly, aligned to the messages from the
head of the state.
That is why, since being tasked by President Joko
Widodo as Coordinator of the Java and Bali PPKM
efforts, Minister Luhut frequently conducts virtual
press conferences, collectively with cabinet ministers,
particularly those directly related to the handling of the
Covid-19 pandemic. Also present were regional heads,
BNPB (National Disaster Management Authority),
heads of the Army and Police, health experts,
academicians, religious leaders, private sector and
other elements of the public.
Besides the technical handling, Kemenko Marves also
conveyed information on the monitoring of efforts to
handle the pandemic by Menko Marves together with
related ministers when conducting visits to various
regions in Java and Bali.
It can be concluded that the public communications of
ministries and institutions of the government, in this
case Kemenko Marves, do not constitute an immediate
activity or reactive to the situation.
A series of strategic efforts are required, starting from
identification of the target audience, preparing the
narration content, conveying or presenting and
evaluating the acceptance of the messages directed to
the public. Messages which are clear and easily
understood continue to be communicated to the
public.
PR IN PRACTICE Lesson 23 Public Relations and the Pandemic (Part Four)
Pemerintah telah melakukan berbagai upaya untuk
mengendalikan pandemi dari sisi kesehatan, transportasi
hingga ekonomi dan sosial. Namun demikian, untuk
meyakinkan publik agar turut berkontribusi dalam upaya
tersebut bukanlah hal yang mudah.
Untuk itu, menjaga keselarasan komunikasi publik antar
kementerian/lembaga mutlak diperlukan. Idealnya setiap
pesan yang keluar dari suatu instansi pemerintah harus
sejalan dengan pesan dari instansi lain yang terkait. Dan
yang paling penting lagi harus selaras dengan pesan yang
dikemukakan oleh kepala negara.
Oleh karena itu, sejak dipercaya Presiden Joko Widodo
sebagai Koordinator PPKM Jawa dan Bali, Menko Luhut
selalu melakukan jumpa pers secara virtual dengan awak
media secara kolektif bersama dengan para menteri
kabinet Indonesia Maju, terutama menteri-menteri yang
berkaitan langsung dengan penanggulangan Pandemi
Covid-19. Selain itu ada juga kepala daerah, BNPB, petinggi
institusi TNI-Polri, ahli kesehatan, akademisi, tokoh agama,
pihak swsata, dan unsur-unsur lainnya.
Tidak hanya informasi seputar penanganan teknisnya,
Kemenko Marves juga menyajikan informasi mengenai
monitoring upaya penanggulangan pandemi yang
dilakukan oleh Menko Marves bersama dengan para
menteri terkait ketika melakukan kunjungan kerja ke
berbagai daerah dalam cakupan penanganan pandemi
covid-19 di wilayah Jawa dan Bali.
Dari uraian di atas, dapat disimpulkan bahwa komunikasi
publik kementerian/lembaga negara dan dalam hal ini
Kemenko Marves bukanlah suatu aktivitas yang bersifat
seketika atau semata-mata reaktif terhadap kondisi yang
terjadi.
Namun dibutuhkan serangkaian langkah strategis dari
mulai identifikasi target audience, penyiapan narasi,
penyampaian/penyajiannya, dan evaluasi penerimaan atas
pesan yang ditujukan kepada publik. Pesan yang jelas dan
mudah dimengerti perlu terus dikomunikasikan kepada
masyarakat
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And importantly, the responses to each type of
communication conveyed to the public concerning the
PPKM are very much needed to enable the
government’s policies in handling the Covid-19
pandemic to receive public support.
Dan yang tidak kalah penting adalah upaya responsif
terhadap setiap bentuk komunikasi yang disampaikan oleh
masyarakat terkait PPKM sangat diperlukan agar
kebijakan pemerintah dalam menanggulangi pandemi
Covid-19 memperoleh dukungan dari mereka.

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