Ahead Of The Jug Ritual At IKN, Residents Greet Anies After Fajr Prayer In Balikpapan: Friendly Governor

DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan congregational prayer at dawn in Balikpapan before carrying out the Kendi Nusantara ritual at IKN. (Facebook Amo Buysan)

JAKARTA - DKI Jakarta Governor Anies Baswedan is in the National Capital (IKN) of the Archipelago in East Kalimantan (Kaltim). Anies along with 33 other governors participated in the ritual process of pouring Kendi Nusantara with President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

In its implementation, Anies and the governors brought land and water from their respective provinces to be mixed by Jokowi in a large jug. The Kendi Nusantara procession took place at the zero point of the IKN Nusantara area on Monday, March 14 this morning.

However, before undergoing the ritual, Anies was caught on camera praying at dawn in congregation in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan. It was local residents who recorded and immortalized Anies performing the worship.

The resident named Amo Buysan said Anies was friendly to the people he met at the mosque. Anies responded to requests for handshakes and greetings from residents, who at that time wore a skullcap, mask, batik shirt, and black trousers.

"Since yesterday several governors have arrived in the city of Balikpapan. I saw a humble governor who prayed Fajr while greeting the residents of Balikpapan," said Amo via his Facebook account.

Amo who was amazed by Anies' attitude also shared his togetherness with the Jakarta leader through his Facebook account. He spread the news in a number of Facebook groups specifically for the East Kalimantan area.

As is known, as a condition of the Kendi Nusantara ritual, Anies brought soil and water taken from the Aquarium Village, North Jakarta. The village is known to have been evicted by Basuki Tjahaja Purnama alias Ahok when he was governor of Jakarta.

"Each governor is assigned to bring land and water from his province. On this Sunday afternoon, all of them, together to East Kalimantan," said Anies through his Facebook account, Sunday, March 13.

The land was hoeed and collected directly by several residents in the village, which is located on the north coast of Jakarta, then stored in a besek made of bamboo.

The reason Anies took the land from the Kampung Akuarium area was to convey the hope that the construction of this new city which would become the capital city would not marginalize the small people.

"The land from the Aquarium Village leaves hope that the construction of this new city which will become the capital city should not marginalize the small people and will instead provide progress and happiness for all, especially the common people," said Anies.