Indonesia traffic jam forces president out of car

JAKARTA: Indonesia's notorious traffic congestion was on display for the world Thursday after the country's president was forced to walk two kilometres through the scorching heat to attend a military parade, reports AFP. Graft-ridden Indonesia is home to one of Asia's most inefficient bureaucracies and gridlock plagues many of the archipelago's largest towns.

The country's traffic nightmares were aptly illustrated when President Joko Widodo had to walk more than two kilometres to attend a ceremony marking the 72nd anniversary of the Indonesian military's founding. Widodo and senior government officials were held up by gridlock as they approached the military parade in Cilegon, a port city about two-and-a-half hours drive from the capital Jakarta, the presidential palace said.

After a 30-minute wait, "the president then decided from inside the car that he would walk," Widodo's guard Ili Dasili said in a statement. National police chief Tito Karnavian, who was also stuck in the jam, joined the president. Video footage shows the president walking with a phalanx of security personnel while spectators yell and chant his name.

 

Indonesia traffic jam forces president out of car

JAKARTA: Indonesias notorious traffic congestion was on display for the world Thursday after the countrys president was forced to walk two kilometres through the scorching heat to attend a military parade, reports AFP. Graft-ridden Indonesia is home to one of Asias most inefficient bureaucracies and gridlock plagues many of the archipelagos largest towns. The countrys traffic nightmares were aptly illustrated when President Joko Widodo had to walk more than two kilometres to attend a ceremony marking the 72nd anniversary of the Indonesian militarys founding. Widodo and senior government officials were held up by gridlock as they approached the military parade in Cilegon, a port city about two-and-a-half hours drive from the capital Jakarta, the presidential palace said. After a 30-minute wait, the president then decided from inside the car that he would walk, Widodos guard Ili Dasili said in a statement. National police chief Tito Karnavian, who was also stuck in the jam, joined the president. Video footage shows the president walking with a phalanx of security personnel while spectators yell and chant his name.