Indonesiantalk.com — ANTARA Chief Equips Immigration Officials with Communication Strategies in Disruptive Era
Jakarta — The president director of state news agency ANTARA, Benny Siga Butarbutar, has urged Indonesia’s immigration officials to adopt transformative communication strategies to strengthen institutional legitimacy and resilience amid rapid global changes.
Speaking at the Immigration Public Relations Gathering (Kopdar Humas Imigrasi) 2026 in Cibubur, East Jakarta, on Wednesday, Benny highlighted the government’s ongoing challenge to regain public trust in an increasingly dynamic society.
“Today, the government is in a struggle to reassure a changing public. That is where service, communication and ease must be delivered swiftly,” he said.
Benny stressed that communication transformation is key to restoring public confidence, particularly as institutions navigate fast-evolving social and technological landscapes.
He described the Directorate General of Immigration as a symbol of Indonesia’s public service and bureaucracy, noting its dual role in serving both Indonesian citizens and foreign nationals.
“It represents Indonesia not only domestically but also in the eyes of the world. Maintaining its image and reputation is therefore essential,” he said, adding that effective communication contributes to broader nation branding efforts.
Benny underscored the need for Immigration to continuously project a positive image, positioning itself as an adaptive institution capable of maintaining credibility in the era of disruption.
In his presentation, he also outlined the global shift from the Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity and Ambiguity (VUCA) era to what is now described as the Brittle, Anxious, Nonlinear and Incomprehensible (BANI) era.
While VUCA reflects a rapidly changing yet still analyzable world — a concept rooted in Cold War-era United States military thinking — BANI, he said, captures a more fragile, anxiety-driven and less predictable global condition.
“To face this reality, institutions must build resilience through transformative communication strategies,” he said.
He emphasized the evolving role of public relations as not merely a disseminator of information, but as a key actor in interpreting events and shaping meaning.
“Public relations must explain, give deeper meaning, and transform that meaning into agile and resilient actions,” he added.
Benny also called for a shift in public relations practices — from rigid bureaucracy to a more responsive and proactive approach — positioning PR units as the “command center of narratives.”
The strategic communication framework he presented includes cultural transformation within PR units, empathy-driven communication, stronger media relations and the use of social listening through media monitoring.
According to him, public relations practitioners must evolve from passively awaiting instructions to actively reading situations, from merely responding to managing expectations, and from issuing clarifications to building trust.
“Public relations must be proactive,” he said.
He further highlighted the importance of leadership communication as a dynamic process that shapes meaning, builds trust and mobilizes organizations.
The Immigration PR gathering is an annual event organized by the Directorate General of Immigration’s public communication division, attended by hundreds of heads of immigration offices and detention centers from across Indonesia.
source: https://matranews.id/dirut-antara-bekali-imigrasi-strategi-komunikasi-di-era-disrupsi/
