In a society that is sincere, all and sundry can accept the lack of communication skills in a leader in a spirit of togetherness. Mutual love, care, and guidance as well as empathy are needed in mutual understanding.
By
KOMPAS EDITOR
·3 minutes read
Jakob Oetama writes in Indonesian Press: Insincere Public Communication (2004) that various differences color communication.
In it, the founder of Kompas said that communication that was completely diverse in terms of different backgrounds, experiences, comprehension, points of view and interests could in fact be more optimal in establishing mutual understanding. Efforts should be made towards achieving mutual understanding or, at the very least, understanding each other. Communication was the nature of social beings and a humane society.
Insincerity can be interpreted as not conveying what lives in the heart and mind. It is just lip service.
The message in the book published by Penerbit Buku Kompas is rather relevant now, as people take to social media for a heated debate over President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo\'s speech at the launch of Proud of Indonesian Products Day last Wednesday (5/5/2021), a week before Idul Fitri. The President again reiterated the government\'s decision to ban mudik (exodus) over Idul Fitri for the sake of public health and safety. So, if people miss the local specialties of their hometowns, such as gudeg from Yogyakarta, bandeng from Semarang, siomai from Bandung, empek-empek from Palembang, and bipang Ambawang from Kalimantan, they could order the products online.
The President’s mention of bipang Ambawang in his speech has caused a controversy, with his critics considering him insensitive and appropriate for mentioning bipang (roasted pork), which is haram, especially ahead of Idul Fitri.
Trade Minister Muhammad Lutfi explained that the President\'s statement regarding bipang Ambawang must be seen in the overall context, that was to invite Indonesians to appreciate and buy local products (Kompas.id, 8-10 / 5/2021).
TANGKAPAN LAYAR
Screenshot of the Ministry of Trade\'s Youtube account when President Joko Widodo gave a speech on Proud of Indonesian Products Day, (5/5/2021).
In Javanese society, communication requires a format that is not just correct, but also appropriate. It should be appropriate for the targeted audience and atmosphere. The information and data must be correct, but not everyone will accept all facts true if they are considered inappropriate.
For some people, the President\'s speech may have been deemed inappropriate in the context of welcoming Idul Fitri, especially when citizens are prohibited from mudik. However, people who are able to communicate sincerely can accept the shortcomings of the President\'s speech and do not feel the need to raise public controversy. Meanwhile, some people even demanded that the officials who prepared the President\'s speech be sanctioned and dismissed.
The Great Dictionary of the Indonesian Language (KBBI) lists one of the definitions of mudik as “returning to one’s hometown”. Mudik is a tradition among Indonesians during Idul Fitri and other religious and cultural events. Like the tradition of cleaning a village in Javanese society, villagers who work overseas also follow mudik, a tradition that has existed since the Majapahit kingdom.
In a society that is sincere, all and sundry can accept the lack of communication skills in a leader in a spirit of togetherness. Mutual love, care, and guidance as well as empathy are needed in mutual understanding.
This article was translated by Hendarsyah Tarmizi.
