Jakarta – President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo left Jakarta on Monday for an official trip to Central Java where he was scheduled to take part in several events, from handing out land certificates to leading mass prayers.
Jokowi left the Halim Perdanakusumah air base in East Jakarta on Monday morning on the presidential aircraft, the Presidential Palace said in a statement.
The President and First Lady Iriana were scheduled to deplane at the Adi Soemarmo air base in Boyolali, Central Java, near their private home in Surakarta.
On the visit, Jokowi is also expected to inspect some infrastructure projects in Central Java, as well as distributing social assistance (Bansos), which has become a signature of his time in office.
Also joining the President are Health Minister Budi Gunadi Sadikin, Trade Minister Zulkifli Hasan and his military secretary Maj. Gen. Rudi Saladin.
In the past few weeks, Jokowi had made frequent visits to Central Java, deemed to be the stronghold of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) and the party's presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo.
Jokowi's previous trip to Central Java, came just days after Ganjar toured the area on his presidential campaign.
In early January, President Jokowi made a stopover in Purworejo, Central Java, to inaugurate a new bus terminal in the regency's capital, along with three other bus terminals, one in the nearby regency of Wonosobo, and the other two in Madiun and Blitar, two cities in East Java.
The President has not made his position official on who he backs in the presidential election but has given his tacit endorsement to Ganjar's rival in the race, Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto.