President Jokowi walks 2km to military ceremony due to large crowds

These shoes are made for walkin'.

Sulaiman Daud | October 05, 2017, 07:13 PM

A President walking down a highway in full suit and tie under a hot sun is not something you see every day.

Due to large crowds in Cilegon City in the province of Banten of Java, Indonesia, President Joko Widodo had to leave his car behind and make a 2 km-long journey on foot.

Widodo was on his way to attend a military ceremony which commemorates the founding of the Tentara Nasional Indonesia (TNI, Indonesian Armed Forces). Perhaps there was an abundance of traffic and people due to the occasion.

Widodo shared the story in a Facebook post, which you can see below:

For those not fluent in Bahasa, we have a translation for you below:

"The anniversary of the 72nd Anniversary of the Indonesian Armed Forces at a jetty in Cilegon City, Banten, today October 5, 2017 is so festive. The road to the location is crowded by vehicles and the public.

Two kilometers before the ceremony, our vehicle was stuck in traffic. What to do, I decided to get out of the car and walk. The President walks, the others follow."

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A video posted to Facebook by Jay Child Ghone shows the President on foot and en route to the ceremony. Cilegon City is located at the extreme North-Western end of the island of Java, and is home to an important port.

Widodo eventually did make it to the ceremony, and we predict that the image of the national leader walking like an ordinary person will be very popular with the public.

However, it does also suggest that traffic conditions in Indonesia could be improved.

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Top image from President Joko Widodo's Facebook page.