President Jokowi Inspects ASEAN Summit Media Center
President Jokowi visits media center of the 42nd ASEAN Summit at the Bintang Flores Hotel, Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai regency, East Nusa Tenggara province, Tuesday (05/09). (Photo by: BPMI of Presidential Secretariat/Laily Rachev)
President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo Tuesday (05/09) inspected firsthand media center of the 42nd ASEAN Summit at the Bintang Flores Hotel, Labuan Bajo, West Manggarai regency, East Nusa Tenggara province.
Upon arrival at around 13.20 Central Indonesian Time, the President headed straight to the lobby area and the journalist registration table.
Afterwards, the President went downstairs and greeted a group of journalists gathering to report the series of ASEAN summit events.
“Good afternoon, everyone,” the President said while waving to the journalists.
The President then checked the press conference venue, the broadcasting center, the journalist work area, and other supporting facilities.
On that occasion, both foreign and local journalists said they were surprised by President Jokowi’s visit to the media center.
A Singaporean journalist Vengadeshwaran Subramaniam said that he did not expect to meet the President while he was working.
“We were so surprised the President came. We did not expect it at all because we were all busy working. We were all very happy to see him directly,” he said.
“Almost all of us [journalists] turned our cameras and cell phones on to record the moment. Someone also tried to take a selfie with the President because he was so close to us. That is not something you will normally expect from a President,” he added.
Echoing the same sentiment, Correspondent for China Global TV Network Silkina Ahluwalia said it was the first time she met the President in person regardless of how many President Jokowi’s activities she reports directly, including the G20 Summit in Bali last November.
“This is the first time I have seen the President by myself after being a journalist for six years. It is great we are finally in the same place and at the same time. The way the President came in and everything seems very well organized. The media also lined up neatly. I really enjoy my experience,” she explained.
A local journalist from state-owned news agency LKBN ANTARA Bayu Prasetyo also expressed his surprise.
“As usual, President Jokowi always surprises journalists. Some of us were writing pieces when others said that the President will visit the media center. The Presidential Security Detail (Paspampres) personnel are set to be on guard at that time, and I was pretty sure the hearsay is right. I was also getting ready to go live stream on Instagram. Anyway, the President often surprises journalists like that,” he said. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat/UN) (RIF/MUR)
