Defending Jokowi About the Crowd in NTT, Dr. Tirta: The President, the Symbol of the State, It Will Draw Crowds

President Jokowi (DOK Setkab)

JAKARTA - COVID-19 volunteer Dr. Tirta Mandira Hudi defended President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) regarding the crowd that occurred during a working visit to Central Sumba Regency, East Nusa Tenggara.

In an upload on his Instagram account @dr.tirta, he said that the crowd was natural considering that President Jokowi is a symbol of the state. So, wherever the former governor of DKI Jakarta goes, it will invite enthusiasm.

"Pak President Jokowi is a symbol of the state, and wherever he goes he will always attract the masses", said Dr. Tirta as quoted from his Instagram account, Wednesday, February 24.

According to him, this is not only experienced by Jokowi. Tirta said that Youtubers Atta Halilintar had experienced the same thing because during Friday prayers many people surrounded him and asked for taking a photo.

Moreover, he said, Jokowi had never invited the surrounding community to come to the location he was reviewing.

He considered President Jokowi had tried to educate the crowds to wear masks. However, at that time there were indeed so many masses that neither Jokowi nor his aides could disperse them.

"Even in one of the videos, his car was surrounded by a large crowd", he explained.

To prevent this from happening again, he assessed the palace protocol team or those who set President Jokowi's schedule to be careful. Also, he considered that crowd sanctions were irrelevant.

"The president never invited them to come, but (the people, red) were enthusiastic. And this should be a reflection of the protocol team to carefully manage the President's agenda in the field", he said.

"So again, the application of sanctions for crowds is irrelevant", added Tirta.

As previously reported, the video of the crowd welcoming Jokowi's arrival in Maumere to inaugurate the Napun Gete Dam circulated on social media.

In the 30-second video, residents welcome the President. Residents cheered, clapped, waved, and captured the moment using their cellphones. Even though they were wearing masks, it seemed that residents did not maintain their distance.