This stands for
Perhimpunan Hubungan Masyarakat Indonesia, which I can only roughly translate as the Association of Networked Indonesians.
I'm not sure what its function is as their website is
masih dalam pembangunan - still under construction. What I do know, however, is that they're holding their National Convention at the Planet Holiday Hotel on the island of Batam this week. It says so in an advert in the Sunday Post and apparently
Expert Practitioners on Public are Converging to Renew on the Development of PR in Indonesia.The "Key Note speech" is by VP Jusuf Kalla, whose family conglomerate seems to have taken over the
commercial development role in Batam of former Suharto protegé and successor as president, B.J. Habibie.
PR stands for public relations, yet
PERHUMAS uses crap English and can't get its website together. That's some credibilty gap to overcome. To misquote George Bernard Shaw, those who can, do: those who can't, hold seminars.
Among the many seminars is one labelled Communication In Crisis. I suggest that all the worthy corporate sponsors, participants and guest speakers attend this one before they get on with what they feel is the main topic: Branding The Nation.
Given that most local commentators would use words* such as myopic to describe the nation's decision makers, there is surely a need for a contemplative conference called, say,
Rebranding The Nation. I would ban all PR folk who, after all are mere bandaid merchants and invite managers and other decision makers to consider how to make decisions without primary regard to their image.
Ask not what your country can do for you
- ask what you can do for your country.
These immortal words were spoken by
John F. Kennedy in his inauguration speech on 20th Janiuary, 1961.
He also said:
If a free society cannot help the many who are poor, it cannot save the few who are rich.Wise words. Isn't it time for Indonesia's political and corporate élite and their PR poodles to take heed?
*
Suggestions welcome
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