Why Jokowi Didn’t Join Ex-Governor Jakarta at City Hall Gathering

Why Didn’t Jokowi Join the Gathering of Former Jakarta Governors?

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Former Jakarta governors such as Sutiyoso, Fauzi Bowo, Basuki Tjahja Purnama (Ahok), Djarot Saiful Hidayat, and Anies Baswedan gathered at the Jakarta City Hall to celebrate the New Year, but President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) was not present. The governors used to lead the capital city during different periods. Teguh Setyabudi, the acting Jakarta governor, revealed that Jokowi couldn’t join the gathering because he was spending New Year’s Eve with his family in Solo, Central Java. "All former Jakarta governors and vice governors were invited. Coincidentally, President Jokowi chose to spend New Year’s Eve with his family in Solo, so he asked the rest of the governors and vice governors to pass on his greetings," Teguh said on Tuesday.

Moreover, Pramono Anung, the current Jakarta vice governor, and Ahmad Riza Patria, the former vice governor of DKI Jakarta, also attended the event. The gathering was part of the "Bentang Harapan JakAsa" event series organized by the Jakarta Provincial Government (Pemprov) to celebrate the New Year. As part of the event, a 500-meter white cloth was installed and decorated with hopes and aspirations from Jakarta residents for the upcoming year.

Why Did Former Jakarta Governors Gather at the City Hall?

The former governors gathered at the Jakarta City Hall to participate in the "Bentang Harapan JakAsa" event, organized by the Jakarta Provincial Government (PemDA) to celebrate the New Year 2025. Representatives from various gubernatorial periods reunited to install a 500-meter white cloth that will be filled with hopes and dreams from Jakarta residents for the New Year.

In addition to the former governors, current and former vice governors, such as Pramono Anung, Rano Karno, and Ahmad Riza Patria, also attended the event. The main highlight of the event was the erection of a 500-meter white cloth, symbolizing optimism and the spirit of jakartans welcoming the new year.

The event aimed to strengthen regional and community spirit, as well as to convey a positive message to Jakarta residents about the importance of unity, collaboration, and togetherness in bringing prosperity and progress to the capital city.