Open Jakarta Fair 2023, Jokowi Talks Trillion Transactions From Millions Of Visitors

President Joko Widodo inaugurated the opening of the Jakarta Fair Kemayoran 2023 exhibition and entertainment event at the Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo), Central Jakarta./PHOTO: Diah Ayu-VOI

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo inaugurated the opening of the Jakarta Fair Kemayoran 2023 exhibition and entertainment event at the Jakarta International Expo (JIExpo), Central Jakarta.

On stage, Jokowi beat the drums as a marker of the opening of the Jakarta Fair with the Acting Governor of DKI Jakarta Heru Budi Hartono, Seskab Pramono Anung, Menparekraf Sandiaga Uno, President Director of PT JIExpo Siti Hartati Murdaya, and Chairman of the Jakarta Organizing Committee Fair Karuna Murdaya. This opening was accompanied by the launch of fireworks.

In his remarks, Jokowi said that Jakarta Fair (Perkan Raya Jakarta) is an annual activity that is quite close to Jakarta residents.

"Every year, the people of Jakarta are always waiting for their presence and it marks the anniversary of the City of Jakarta, namely on June 22, next week," Jokowi said at JIExpo Kemayoran, Central Jakarta, Wednesday, June 14.

Jokowi said, the Jakarta Fair is the largest and most complete exhibition event in Southeast Asia. This event has also been held for the 54th time.

"This means that it has exceeded half a century. Last year it was visited by 6.9 million visitors with transactions of Rp7.3 trillion. A small amount. Therefore, on this good occasion, I would like to wish you a happy 496th anniversary of the City of Jakarta," he explained.

Meanwhile, Acting Governor of DKI Jakarta Heru Budi Hartono explained that the Jakarta Fair was initially inspired by the gambir night market which used to be held annually in the Monas area.

In 1968, Syamsudin Mangan as Chairman of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry at that time proposed an exhibition event to increase marketing of domestic production. This idea was welcomed by former DKI Governor Ali Sadikin who wanted to unite various night markets which at that time were still scattered in a number of areas of Jakarta to the Jakarta Fair.

"Since then, the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government has set the Jakarta or Jakarta Fair holiday to be an annual permanent agenda held in celebration of the anniversary of the city of Jakarta which is celebrated every June 22," said Heru.

"Let us both make this event a forum and to strengthen the domestic economy optimizing local product potential and encourage industrial and trade growth in Indonesia," he added.