TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - President Joko Widodo or Jokowi disclosed his reasons for conducting his signature impromptu visit, known as blusukan, to traditional markets and have dialogues with the people. He said such visits allow him to understand the real challenges and economic conditions at the grassroots.

“Every morning I have breakfast with macro and microeconomic figures. And that makes me frequently check directly to the market,” said the state head when visiting Badung Market in Bali, on Thursday, November 17, 2022.

He explained that the market visit was also aimed at checking the impact of inflation on the microeconomy. He claimed to have visited all traditional markets across 514 regencies/cities throughout the country.

“We make policies [by considering] existing conditions in the market,” Jokowi remarked.

His visit to Badung Market was joined by a number of foreign media who had just covered the G20 Summit. When asked about how his work data-style could help local traders, he said that during blusukan he often helped traders directly.

“You know that for 2.5 years we have been hit by a pandemic. So I have to help traders, help micro traders and MSMEs,” he told reporters.

He recalled that his trademark neighborhood walkabout had been carried out since he served as Mayor of Solo. This way of working continued when he was elected as Governor of Jakarta back in 2012-2014.

One of Jokowi’s blusukan that became the public highlight was when he entered a water ditch to check the causes of flooding in the Sudirman - Thamrin area. Such visits remain part of his work as the president.

M JULNIS FIRMANSYAH

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