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COMMENTARY: A few clicks away from the President of Trivia
From “Obama from Jakarta,” “Mr. Fix,” “the man in the Madras Shirt” to “the man of the people,” President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has added another nickname to his resume: “the vlogging [video blogging] president.”
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President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo during Piala Presiden 2017 (President's Cup) event in Sleman, Yogyakarta. Jokowi, who posted on Instagram for the first time in January last year, is also mentioned as one of the world leaders who have occasionally taken their own pictures and selfies. (instagram.com/Jokowi/File)
F
rom “Obama from Jakarta,” “Mr. Fix,” “the man in the Madras Shirt” to “the man of the people,” President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has added another nickname to his resume: “the vlogging [video blogging] president.”
He made his debut as a vlogger in February, posting a video showing him at a soccer tournament in Sleman, Yogyakarta. In the video, he talks directly to his camera phone, explaining his attendance at the event and giving his encouragement to Indonesian soccer. The video went viral, garnering over 400,000 views. Since then, Jokowi has been unstoppable.
He has released five vlogs so far, the most popular of which shows him lunching with King of Saudi Arabia Salman bin Abdulaziz al-Saud at the Bogor State Palace during the latter’s visit to Indonesia in March. The video has been viewed by more than 1.9 million people, earning him the title of “the vlogging president.”
The use of social media by world leaders is not a new thing in international politics. Researches show social media is a cost-effective medium for politicians to improve their electability during election periods and pursue their political missions. It is no wonder that many state leaders have joined social media networks and used the platforms to engage with the public to promote their political agendas.
