Sofia Never Imagined That President Jokowi Would Buy 5 Glasses Of Chili For Sale At The Mbongawani Market, Ende, East Nusa Tenggara

President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo. (Photo: Doc. Antara)

JAKARTA - Indonesian President Joko Widodo visited the Mbongawani Ende Market, East Nusa Tenggara, and had time to buy 5 glasses of small chili from one of the traders there.

"He asked how much is the price of 1 kilo of chili. I answered, we don't sell kilos, but five thousand rupiah per glass," said Sofia Husein (45), a trader at Mbongawani Ende Market who sells chilies to the President, Wednesday, June 1, reported by Antara.

Sofia never imagined that the Head of State would stop at her stall, and even buy one of the groceries.

At that time, she said, the President joked and offered to buy chilies at a price of IDR 1,000 per glass. Sofia smiled and replied that she couldn't sell it at that price.

She did not expect the President to be generous and to be able to talk to him casually. After pointing to the chili measuring cup and bargaining with each other, President Joko Widodo and Mrs. Iriana Joko Widodo bought 5 cups of chili.

Sofia received a sum of IDR 150,000 from the President for the merchandise.

The merchant then received the money, then put the chili in a plastic bag, then thanked the President for visiting.

"I hope you are always healthy," Sofia said as she handed the groceries to the President. The presence of the former Mayor of Surakarta at Mbongawani Ende Market was greeted with hysterical shouts from the merchants and residents of Ende City who had been waiting for him for hours.

Even though it was scorching hot in Ende City at 10:00 central Indonesia time, residents still flocked to the market to meet the Head of State.

There, the President distributed cash in envelopes to traders. The president actively communicates with the merchants.

Previously, residents had formed a line along Soekarno Street from Pancasila Square to the Ende Cathedral Church. The president stopped by the church before continuing his visit to the market.

The residents of Ende City seemed to be hypnotized by the President's charisma. They waved, took pictures, then recorded videos. In fact, there were residents who climbed up the trees to see the arrival of the President, who is familiarly called Jokowi.

"Yes, I got clothes!" shouted Januarius (33) as soon as he got a shirt that was distributed by the Presidential Security Forces (Paspampres).