Indonesia's President Joko Widodo (second right) and his spouse Iriana (right) arrive to attend celebrations marking the 79th anniversary of the Indonesian Armed Forces (TNI) in front of the National Monument (MONAS) at Merdeka Square in Jakarta on October 5, 2024. - AFP
JAKARTA (Xinhua): Indonesia's President Joko Widodo, known popularly as Jokowi, said here on Tuesday that he would retire and return to his hometown of Surakarta in Central Java upon ending his second term next week.
Jokowi, who has been in office since 2014, made the statement when attending a forum in Jakarta earlier in the day.
"On the afternoon of Oct. 20, I will return to Solo," said Jokowi, referring to the short name for Surakarta.
"I need a long, long break. Just want to chill and rest. Just going to enjoy the moment," said Jokowi.
To relax, he loves listening to his pet frogs. “Their croaking at night is soothing. The frogs themselves aren’t,” he deadpanned during an interview with the Straits Times earlier this year. He also has pet goats, cats and chicken in his farm back home.
After nearly a decade as president of South-East Asia’s largest country and economy, Jokowi has no airs about him. But there is the slightest tinge of pride as he states matter-of-factly: “Saya orang kampung,” meaning “I am a villager”.
The former furniture businessman was elected mayor of Solo in 2005, and then governor of Jakarta in 2012. When he was elected president in July 2014, he broke from the mould of past leaders who hailed from the political elite or the military.
The president also said that he would take the break immediately upon arriving in his hometown and might not attend the inauguration of the incoming government of president-elect Prabowo Subianto and his son, vice president-elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka, in person.
Prabowo and Gibran were scheduled to take office on Oct 20 in the Senayan legislative complex in South Jakarta. - Xinhua
