President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono will be ready to be criticized by netizens when he launches his own Twitter account, his aide says.

Yudhoyono’s advisor for political communications, Daniel Sparingga, said the President wanted to immerse himself in online public debates.

“The President is ready to face the consequences, including responding to various types of babble. Whether messages are funny, less relevant or extremely cynicical, the President wants to make an effort to maintain a
connection with the public,” Daniel said.

He said social media had changed society and politics and that leaders should adapt to such changes.

Daniel said the President wanted to improve his public communication during the rest of his period in office and had chosen Twitter to build trust with the public. “This approach aims to increase the effectiveness of his political leadership,” Daniel said.

It appears that netizens have been waiting for the launch since Wednesday’s announcement. Yudhoyono’s office revealed that the account would be managed by both Yudhoyono and his staffers.

The President has long been a target of criticism on social media outlets and has also complained of having little opportunities on social media to shape public opinion.