Aceh – Indonesia, The leadership transition at the Government Communication Agency (BAKOM) from M. Qodari to Syahganda Nainggolan on Friday (10/2/2026) has not immediately shifted public perception toward the government communication body.
A Big Data analysis by Deep Intelligence Research (DIR) covering mainstream and social media conversations from September 30 to October 3, 2026, reveals that negative sentiment remains largely rooted in long-standing issues, particularly integrity, budgeting, a bloated cabinet, and allegations that BAKOM serves as a tool for controlling government narratives.
DIR analyzed 8,622 social media posts during this period. The results show that 53 percent of social media discussions carried a negative tone, while positive sentiment stood at only 9.1 percent, with the remainder being neutral.
In mainstream media, the sentiment was relatively more balanced, with 39.1 percent positive, 36.2 percent negative, and 24.6 percent neutral. This disparity demonstrates that a change in leadership does not automatically alter public perception of BAKOM.
Deep Intelligence Research (DIR) Communication Director Neni Nur Hayati stated that replacing the head of BAKOM must be accompanied by a shift in communication patterns and styles.
According to her, the public is not merely evaluating the new figure, but is also awaiting tangible changes in how the government communicates, especially regarding integrity, budget, and BAKOM’s core functions.
“Changing officials is not enough unless accompanied by a shift in communication patterns and styles,” Neni said on Sunday, October 4, 2026.
The strongest pressure on BAKOM is evident across several trending issues on social media. DIR’s analysis noted that allegations of BAKOM acting as a narrative control tool or government buzzers reached 96 percent negative sentiment, political patronage and power-sharing issues were 83.6 percent negative, and concerns over budget waste and a bloated cabinet logged 83 percent negative sentiment.
These findings indicate that Syahganda’s challenge lies not only in building a personal brand, but also in reversing long-ingrained perceptions of the institution.
“The new Head of BAKOM faces a tough task: building public trust that government messaging is sincere, honest, and backed by credible data and proof regarding the Prabowo administration’s work. Mr. Syahganda must frequently engage directly with the grassroots, speak the people’s language, and prioritize public empathy. Relying solely on press releases will not suffice,” Neni explained.
Neni pointed out a sharp divergence between mainstream media reporting and public discourse on social media. Mainstream media provided relatively positive coverage of Syahganda and his vision for two-way dialogue, whereas social media displayed significantly stronger criticism.
Consequently, Neni emphasized that BAKOM cannot rely on one-way broadcast-style communication through news outlets; it must build a more open and responsive dialogue with the public.
On social media, the dominant emotions identified were anger at 12.3 percent and disgust at 11.5 percent, while expressions of trust accounted for just 0.26 percent. One driver of negative sentiment was discussions surrounding the use of AI or algorithms, which generated 57 percent negative responses.
Additionally, issues involving anonymous letters and a IDR 60 billion ad budget recorded 63.4 percent negative sentiment, while the resignation of Deputy II tied to lifestyle concerns hit 66.5 percent negative. “Building and fostering this trust must be the priority for BAKOM’s communication under its new head,” Neni added.
According to Neni, the new Head of BAKOM needs to adopt a two-way communication approach to reclaim the framing of public discourse. This step, she added, must be paired with openness, particularly regarding budget transparency and responses to ethical critiques, including the lavish lifestyle controversy involving a former official.
Neni also stressed the importance of altering communication styles to prevent the government from appearing self-righteous or all-knowing. Regular dialogue, rapid responses, and mapping media and social media conversations are considered essential for capturing public sentiment more comprehensively.
Neni asserted that communication should not be treated merely as a mechanism for conveying government announcements. Based on DIR’s recommendations, BAKOM needs to strengthen social media monitoring, establish responsive communication protocols, host regular dialogue forums, ensure budget data transparency, and publish clear roadmaps and achievements.
“Structuring communication is a fundamental part of a government’s actual performance,” Neni concluded. []