Jokowi Swarmed by Thousands of Residents During Car Free Day in Kupang

The 7th President of Indonesia, Joko Widodo (Jokowi), met with residents during the Car Free Day (CFD) on El Tari Street, Kupang, East Nusa Tenggara (NTT), on Saturday morning. As soon as Jokowi stepped out of his vehicle at approximately 07:03 WITA, thousands of waiting residents immediately cheered, with shouts of “Jokewi.. Jokowi..” echoing along the street in front of the NTT Governor’s Office.

Many residents were seen holding up their mobile phones to record the moment, while others attempted to move closer to shake hands and take photographs. The public enthusiasm was so high that the crowd became difficult to manage, with people jostling one another to catch a glimpse of Jokowi from nearby. Several parents were seen lifting their children to ensure they could witness his presence firsthand.

In addition to crowding the streets, some residents went to great lengths to secure the best vantage points, including climbing onto car bonnets, scaling nearby house walls, and even climbing trees within the Car Free Day area. “This shows the immense enthusiasm of the people who want to meet Jokowi directly,” said Nova, a resident who admitted she was unable to take a photo but was happy to see him up close.

Dressed in a white shirt and hat, Jokowi attended to various requests for photographs. Due to the sheer number of people present, his movement was significantly restricted. He eventually departed the Car Free Day location at around 07:50 WITA to attend the Regional Coordination Meeting (Rakorda) of the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) for Kupang City later that afternoon.