PERSEPSI MASYARAKAT MENGENAI ISU PERTAMAX OPLOSAN

Abstract

The issue of Pertamax fuel adulteration in Indonesia sparked widespread public concern and became a major topic of discussion on social media and national news platforms. This study aims to explore how public perception is constructed regarding the Pertamax adulteration controversy using Stephen W. Littlejohn's theory of perception. This research uses a qualitative descriptive approach, relying on in-depth interviews with Pertamax fuel users. The results show that public perception is formed through stages of information reception, organization, interpretation, and evaluation. People received information about the issue from social media, television, and interpersonal communication. They organized this information based on their personal experience and cultural understanding, which led to a predominantly negative perception of Pertamax and Pertamina's credibility. This study contributes to the development of communication theories related to public perception in crisis situations and provides practical insights for corporate crisis communication strategy.