33 Governors Go Home, Jokowi Only Stays With Isran Noor, Said Didu: Thought To Be Accompanied, Turns Out Everyone Returned

Jokowi in front of a tent where he is staying in the IKN Nusantara area (Setpres/Agus Suparto)

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) camped in the National Capital Region (IKN) Nusantara, East Kalimantan. Of the 34 governors who came to IKN to undergo the archipelago's jug ritual, only East Kalimantan Governor Isran Noor accompanied Jokowi to stay.

Former Secretary to the Minister of SOEs, Muhammad Said Didu, quipped that the governors did not participate in accompanying Jokowi to stay overnight. The togetherness of 34 governors who came to IKN was published on the website of the Presidential Secretariat.

"He thought that someone wanted to accompany camping, but it turned out that all of them went home - after taking the photos, he finally went home," said Said Didu on his Twitter account, @msaid_didu, Tuesday, March 15.

As for the other 33 governors, they returned to their respective provinces after Jokowi led the archipelago's jug ritual to unite land and water from 34 provinces in IKN. They went home because the facilities available at the camp site at IKN were limited.

During the camp at IKN, Jokowi was accompanied by First Lady Iriana. While staying overnight, apart from East Kalimantan Governor Isran Noor, there was Cabinet Secretary (Seskab) Pramono Anung, PUPR Minister Basuki Hadimuljono, Head of Bappenas Suharso Monoarfa, to BUMN Minister Erick Tohir.

In addition, the Head and Deputy Head of the IKN Authority Agency, Bambang Susantono and Dhony Rahajoe, also camped in the IKN area to accompany Jokowi.

Head of the Presidential Secretariat Heru Budi Hartono explained that the tents used by Jokowi and his men were simple camping. Only filled with mattresses without air conditioning or air conditioner.

However, Jokowi's security remains a priority. The Pangdam and Kapolda of East Kalimantan accompanied the activity.

"Yes, stay in a tent. The contents of the tent are only mattresses, there is no air conditioner (air conditioner or air conditioner, ed)," Heru said when confirmed by reporters, Monday, March 14.

A number of efforts were also made to ensure that camping activities at IKN ran smoothly, such as fogging or smoking and spreading salt to prevent the entry of reptiles into the tent.

"We have spread salt around the tents, especially around VVIP and so on to anticipate the presence of reptiles," said the Commander of Paspampres Major General TNI Tri Budi Utomo, quoted from the Presidential Secretariat's YouTube channel.