President Jokowi Distributes Basic Food Assistance To Residents In Front Of The Palace

Paspamres distributed Presidential assistance in the form of basic necessities to a number of online motorcycle taxi drivers passing around Jalan Medan Merdeka Utara, Central Jakarta, Monday (8/4/2024). (ANTARA/Andi Firdaus)

President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) through the Presidential Secretariat (Setpres) distributed around 1,000 aids in the form of basic necessities to the public, which were distributed in front of the Merdeka Palace, Jakarta, Jalan Medan Merdeka Utara, Central Jakarta.

The distribution of aid which took place at around 16.30 WIB was also witnessed by President Jokowi who took the time to exit the Merdeka Palace fence to the shoulder of Jalan Medan Merdeka Utara for about 10 minutes.

"So the first one this afternoon is April 8, the President through the Head of the Protocol Bureau asked the Secretariat of the Presidential Secretariat to provide basic necessities of approximately 1,000 packages, 1,000 bags," said Head of the Presidential Secretariat (Kasetpres) Heru Budi Hartono after accompanying President Jokowi to review the distribution of the aid.

President Jokowi, who in the afternoon wore a white shirt and black pants, waved to the beneficiaries, during a dialogue with Heru and related officials.

One of the recipients of assistance from online motorcycle taxi drivers (ojol), Riyanto Wibisono, said the assistance received contained 5 kg of rice, vegetable oil, biscuits, and teabags, which were packaged in a white bag bearing the President's assistance.

"I found out from GoJek's fellow colleagues at Gambir Station. There was information at the Palace that there was basic necessities for ojol before 4 pm," he said.

The Kemayoran resident rushed to line up on Jalan Medan Merdeka Utara for more than 30 minutes, until finally the queue was opened by Paspampres starting at 16.30 WIB.

Riyanto and other motorists lined up to the basic food table around the shoulder of the road. There are five table points where the bags contain basic necessities are stored.

The recipient of the assistance who had received the basic food quota then slipped one of his fingers into an ink bottle as a sign of his participation in the activity.

In addition to ojol drivers, the assistance was also received by a group of officers for the DKI Jakarta Public Infrastructure and Facilities Handling (PPSU) who happened to be working around the Merdeka Palace.

"Incidentally, I was working again, then there were people who were busy, we came and got it too. Thank God, thank you Pak Jokowi," he said.