Minister Encourages PR To Promote ASEAN Potential

Kuta (Antara Bali) - Communication and Informatics Minister Rudiantara has encouraged the role of Public Relations to promote the economic potential of countries in the ASEAN region.

"Sound communication is required to help make the ASEAN an attractive destination for investment, tourism, and trade, among others," Rudiantara remarked here on Thursday.

According to him, the role of "public relations" in Indonesia is very strategic as a driver in the ASEAN region, considering the fact that in addition to being a large country, Indohe nesia contributes to almost 40 percent of the economy and is home to 40 percent of the population in Southeast Asia.

The minister said ASEAN`s economic growth of nearly five percent is one of the indicators to attract regional investment in the region.

In addition, cultural diversity and human resource potential, reaching a total of about 600 million people, make the ASEAN region a strategically attractive market.

Moreover, Rudiantara noted that public relations at the government level as well as in the business environment are facing the same challenge in the form of the increasing influence of social media along with technological advancements.

The minister said that though social media offers speed, the data provided by it may lack accuracy.

"The information landscape has changed due to the dynamic growth of social media, a challenge in providing information instruments for the welfare of the nation and creating opportunities to innovate," Rudiantara emphasized.

In addition to promoting ASEAN`s potential and competitiveness at the global level, ASEAN Public Relations is also encouraged to create a communication protocol between countries in Southeast Asia.

The communications protocol can be applied at the government, inter-business, and practitioner level to avoid inter-country problems in the ASEAN region. (WDY)