Jokowi's Spontaneous Action In Papua That Wasn't Captured On Camera

Presidential Special Staff Billy Mambrasar while accompanying President Joko Widodo to visit plantation areas in Papua. (ANTARA/Personal Documentation.)

JAKARTA - Special Staff to the President from Papua Billy Mambrasar revealed President Joko Widodo's spontaneous actions during a working visit to Papua in early October 2021, which were not recorded by the camera.

Billy recounted the actions of President Jokowi that he witnessed while accompanying him in Papua.

"This is indeed not my first experience accompanying President Joko Widodo on a working visit, because previously, I have been invited to make working visits in several other provinces and regencies in Indonesia," Billy explained in a written statement received in Jakarta, reported by Antara, Monday, October 11.

However, he said, there was something special about this visit, because apart from being carried out in his homeland, the President's working visit to Papua was the longest working visit.

"Therefore, I had the opportunity to witness several spontaneous moments of the president's humanist actions with Papuans, which were not caught on camera by journalists or the press. I am grateful to God, given the trust to accompany him, so that I can see up close," said Billy.

He said three spontaneous actions of President Jokowi in Papua that made an impression on his heart, namely when the president got out of the car and headed to the place where women were selling knitted Papuan bags or noken.

Billy said there was a very moving action for him when he saw the president fixing the layout of the mama's noken, which were hung based on colors and designs.

"He did it quickly and carefully, before then interacting again with the seller's mamas and buying the sales receipt," said Billy.

The second spontaneous action occurred in Sorong City, next to the corn farm. At that time, while visiting the farmers, the president paused when a child with a thick Papuan accent shouted “Uncle Jokowi, woiii!! Come here, come here!!”

Billy said it sounded disrespectful to the entourage accompanying the president, but Jokowi paused for a moment, smiled through the swamp grass, and waved at the child.

"There was no feeling of offence or irritation that was shown by Mr. Jokowi at that time. He even walked towards the child, but was warned by the Regent of Sorong at that time, that the road was soft, and the swamp was deep, and quite dangerous. Finally, the President, who was halfway there, walked back, gave the code for the child to turn around, and met him on a more congested road," said Billy.

The president, he said, then gave the child a t-shirt and a book.

The third action took place before the momentum of the President giving jackets to Papuan teenagers in Sorong City.

"At that time there was a mother who pushed her child forward, who was then held by the president on the shoulder of the child, to help maintain his stability in standing. Paspampres had warned the mother that what was done to her child was dangerous. The president continued to take pictures with the child and his mother, and gave them both books and T-shirts, and took them off with his special smile," Billy said.

The meaning of the President's action

Billy said that the three spontaneous actions of the President in Papua were not caught on camera.

For the first action, when the President corrected the layout of the noken, he said, the President, who was once a small furniture entrepreneur, seemed to understand the struggles of small business actors.

"Mr. Jokowi arranges that the noken, which has a more attractive design and lighter color, is placed at the front, in order to attract the attention of passers-by, to buy the goods sold by these women," said Billy.

In the second action, Billy said that the President can understand the actions of children who do not understand the size of polite and impolite, and are still in the learning process.

"The president understands the child is only expressing admiration for him, and his desire for expression," Billy said.

Meanwhile, in the third action, the President's spontaneity to hold the child's balance pushed by his mother, according to Billy, is the President's natural instinct to protect.

"Neither did he feel angry with his mother's behavior, he took pictures and gave souvenirs to the two of them. This moment was so fast, that the photo recording from the reporters was missing," said Billy.

He conveyed that from the three President's actions in Papua, it appears that the things that President Jokowi has done for the Indonesian people, especially for the Land of Papua and Papuans, are based on compassionate empathy.

"Compassionate empathy is the main basis for being a leader, for making big changes, for building and advancing others. In leadership, smart is not the main thing, power is not absolute, but humility, and sincerity, that is the basis of propriety and one's ability, to be called a leader," said Billy.