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PCO back in spotlight after Hasan’s return to office
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Presidential Communications Office (PCO) head Hasan Nasbi speaks at a press conference in Jakarta on February 24, after the launching of Indonesia’s sovereign wealth fund Danantara.
(Kompas.com/Fika Nurul Ulya)
T
he unexpected return of Hasan Nasbi as head of the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) and the appointment of a new spokesperson has sparked questions about the future direction and responsibilities of the office he leads.
Hasan confirmed his return to the office on Tuesday, two weeks after tendering his resignation amid mounting pressure for the government to change its communication team and strategy following a series of controversial remarks from officials.
Hasan said on Wednesday that his decision to resume his role came following an order by President Prabowo Subianto to stay.
“I am loyal to the President,” he said. “When I was ordered to remain [in charge of the PCO], I, as a subordinate, obeyed.”
He declined to elaborate on why the President ordered him to stay in his post, but noted that both State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi and Cabinet Secretary Teddy Indra Wijaya had assured him that they would help address issues that he previously could not overcome.
“The President’s message was clear. Whatever needs improvement must now be addressed immediately. What has not worked well in the past must be corrected,” Hasan said.
The communications office, led by Hasan since its establishment at the end of former president Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s administration, has been in hot water over tone-deaf rebuttals to public criticism.
