Public Affairs Works on the Rules, Not the Image

Public affairs works on the rules an organisation operates under, while PR works on how it is seen, Proxemics' practitioner guests argue. In episode 013, Jeffrey Haribowo of Mars Wrigley Indonesia describes it as evidence-based advocacy that runs through four levels of law, from the constitution down to ministerial regulation. The four episodes below ran between October 2025 and September 2026, each with who is speaking, when, and the idea you can take into your own work.

1. PR shapes perception; public affairs engages regulation: episode 013

Episode 013 draws the line in one sentence: PR manages how the public sees an organisation, and public affairs works one level up, on the policies and regulations it operates under. Jeffrey Haribowo, Corporate Affairs Director, Cocoa at Mars Wrigley Indonesia, maps that work onto the order of Indonesian law: the constitution, then laws, government regulations and ministerial regulations (episode 013, October 2025). He uses the fight over sugary-drink excise as his worked example, from 18:17. The PR versus public affairs segment itself starts at 14:56.

2. Bring proof, not opinion: episode 013

Jeffrey Haribowo's other rule is that public affairs must be evidence-based, never "debat kusir", the endless argument that goes nowhere. His toolkit is industry alliances and academic data, from 22:36. The case he singles out at 29:35 ties to the JUUL story: an independent study influenced a Finance Minister regulation and pushed tobacco excise towards being proportional to risk (episode 013, October 2025). For PR people eyeing the move, he names three skills at 34:13: resilience, persistence and a real willingness to learn. Lobbying, in this framing, is one tool inside public affairs, not the whole job.

3. A legal permit is not a licence from society: episode 036

Episode 036 argues that being licensed by law is not enough without a Social Licence to Operate. The Full House panel describes public affairs as mediating the competing interests of the state, businesses and civil society, and managing the "externality cost" that stalls technically legal projects when they collide with communities (episode 036, July 2026). The segment on what public affairs really is starts at 13:05, followed at 18:22 by the shift from CSR as charity to Creating Shared Value built into operations.

4. Read the law that changes your risk: episode 024

Episode 024 shows a public affairs reflex every communicator needs: tracking the law that changes what your campaigns can carry. Hosts Mercy Tahitoe and Stephanie Sicilia discuss Indonesia's new Criminal Code (KUHP), in force from 2 January 2026 and replacing a code dating from 1918 (Sekretariat Negara). In their reading, it revives an offence of insulting state institutions (episode 024, February 2026). Their point is that brands and agencies can no longer wash their hands of partner content, so screening has to get stricter. The segment on the new code and agencies starts at 20:48.

5. In a regulated industry, make Compliance a partner: episode 043

Episode 043 puts the regulator inside the brief: in financial services, OJK rules shape what marketing and PR can say. Gandis Rahma Mahatmi, Marketing Division Head at Sequis Life, with 20 years across PR agencies, pharma and insurance, treats Compliance as a partner rather than an enemy (episode 043, September 2026). She prefers certified KOLs, for example AAJI-certified ones, over lifestyle micro or nano influencers, so that the public is not misinformed. Her segment on creative PR under strict OJK regulation starts at 17:12.

Episode	Guest	Date	The idea to use
013	Jeffrey Haribowo, Mars Wrigley Indonesia	9 Oct 2025	Work on the regulation, and bring evidence
036	Proxemics Full House	17 Jul 2026	Earn a Social Licence to Operate, not only a permit
024	Hosts Mercy Tahitoe and Stephanie Sicilia	9 Feb 2026	Track new laws that shift your content risk
043	Gandis Rahma Mahatmi, Sequis Life	24 Sep 2026	Treat the regulator's rules as part of the brief

When Proxemics fits

Proxemics fits PR people weighing a move into public affairs, corporate affairs teams and communication students who want the difference explained by people who do the work. It is not a course in lobbying or law, and it will not tell you how a specific regulation will land. Every episode page lists the guest, the chapters and the key takeaways, so you can go straight to the public affairs segment.

Frequently asked questions

What is public affairs?

Public affairs is evidence-based advocacy aimed at the policies and regulations an organisation operates under. In episode 013 of Proxemics, Jeffrey Haribowo traces it from the constitution down to ministerial regulation.

How is public affairs different from PR?

PR manages perception, meaning how the public sees an organisation. Public affairs engages the rules themselves, and episode 036 adds the work of keeping a Social Licence to Operate.

Is public affairs just lobbying?

No. In episode 013, lobbying is one tool inside public affairs, alongside policy research, coalition-building, stakeholder engagement and communication.