Traffic jam forces Jokowi to walk 2km to parade

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Oct 06, 2017 06:00 am

JAKARTA: Indonesia's notorious traffic congestion was on display yesterday after President Joko Widodo was forced to walk two kilometres in the scorching heat to attend a military parade.

Mr Widodo had to attend a ceremony marking the 72nd anniversary of the Indonesian military's founding.

He and senior government officials were held up by gridlock as they approached the parade in Cilegon, a port city about 2½ hours by road from Jakarta, the presidential palace said.

After a 30-minute wait, "the President then decided from inside the car that he would walk", Mr Widodo's guard Ili Dasili said in a statement.

National police chief Tito Karnavian, who was also stuck in the jam, joined Mr Widodo.

Video footage shows Mr Widodo walking with a phalanx of security personnel while spectators and chant his name. - AFP