TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo and Jakarta Governor Basuki "Ahok" Tjahaja Purnama inspect the mass rapid transit (MRT) tunnel at Dukuh Atas that leads to the Hotel Indonesia roundabout (Bundaran HI), Central Jakarta, on September 30, 2016. The construction is expected to complete by 2019.
The pair of Jakarta former Governor and Deputy Governor back in 2012-2014 entered the 35 meter deep tunnel without being accompanied by anyone even a construction foreman as if the seven meter wide tunnel with its blue light could only fit the pair.
It is not clear what they discussed in the tunnel. They seemed to exchanged conversations and smiling at each other once in a while. Jokowi was once seen kneeling beside Ahok to inspect the dusty floor of the tunnel.
The ministers were gathered in a group far behind the President. The ministers attended the inspection were State Owned Enterprises Minister Rini Soemarno and the Minister of Public Works Basuki Hadimuljono. Once in a while, they would take a selfie with other officials and the MRT workers. They were reluctant to be interviewed when media crews approached.
Jokowi did not explain the reason why it was only him and Ahok who inspected the tunnel. He only gave a statement after the inspection ended, saying that he was optimistic that the MRT can be operational by 2019.
“I think the progress has been very good. I'd like to say that, by 2019, from Lebak Bulus to Bundaran HI, this [the MRT project] will be completed,” President Jokowi said.
ISTMAN M.P.
