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View all search resultsJokowi gives children a fun ride
Gubernatorial games: Governor Joko âJokowiâ Widodo picks students to answer questions during a belated commemoration of National Childrenâs Day at Dunia Fantasi theme park in North Jakarta on Thursday
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Gubernatorial games: Governor Joko âJokowiâ Widodo picks students to answer questions during a belated commemoration of National Childrenâs Day at Dunia Fantasi theme park in North Jakarta on Thursday. Jokowi offered a number of bicycles as prizes to those who could answer his questions. (JP/Sita Dewi) (JP/Sita Dewi)
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span class="caption" style="width: 509px;">Gubernatorial games: Governor Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo picks students to answer questions during a belated commemoration of National Children's Day at Dunia Fantasi theme park in North Jakarta on Thursday. Jokowi offered a number of bicycles as prizes to those who could answer his questions. (JP/Sita Dewi)
Governor Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo knew exactly how to celebrate National Children's Day.
In a belated commemoration of National Children's Day, which fell on July 23, Jokowi was having fun with more than 2,000 children at Dunia Fantasi (Dufan) theme park in North Jakarta on Thursday.
The commemoration, however, did not involve a ceremonial speech or the usual protocol.
When the emcee invited the governor to the stage, Jokowi asked the children loudly 'who wants a bicycle?', to which the audience enthusiastically cheered.
Jokowi initiated a quiz with a number of bicycles as prizes. 'I will ask a question. Those who know the answer raise your hand and I will ask a number of you to take to the stage,' Jokowi said. 'When did Indonesia declare its independence?' he later asked.
Almost all of the participants raised their hands, some of them even jumped on their seats in the hopes that the governor would see and pick them. A male student, who was asked to come on stage, answered anxiously 'uh'¦.oh, August 17, 1970?' The audience laughed and raised their hands again.
Another student then answered correctly, 'August 17, 1945,' the governor then handed the student his name card. 'Come to City Hall tomorrow to pick up the bicycle,' Jokowi said.
Jokowi asked various questions regarding Indonesian history and other trivial knowledge such as 'name the Jakarta governor and deputy governor,' which was answered correctly by another student.
'It was exciting. I am happy to meet the governor in person even though he didn't pick me,' Chika, a participant, told The Jakarta Post.
Jokowi ended the game by singing the national song 'Tanah Airku' (My Homeland) in a duet with student singer, Rizky.
'Now, let's play!' the governor closed the ceremony, leading the children to the merry-go-round playhouse.
Jokowi rode together with a number of children, who looked happy but nervous at the same time, probably due to the heavy presence of reporters, cameramen and bodyguards. 'What else do you want to ride?' asked Jokowi. 'Roller coaster!' answered the children. 'But you are not allowed to ride it yet,' the governor answered.
The ceremony came out different from what the committee had planned. Initially, the committee scheduled a speech by Jokowi and a symbolic handing-over of funds from the city to unfortunate children. 'I know that this is probably the first time for most of the children. Children need to have fun like this. That's why we want to add [public] recreational areas,' Jokowi told reporters. 'I want all five municipalities to become child-friendly cities,' he added.
The event was the opposite from the National Children's Day ceremony in Taman Mini Indonesia Indah (TMII) Culture and Tourism Park, which was led by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono last year, who snapped at some children that fell asleep during the president's speech.
Meanwhile, Depok Police still recorded high sexual abuse cases against children despite the city's recent accomplishment in snatching the national award as a child-friendly city.
The Women and Children Protection unit at the Crime Division in the Depok Police received 28 cases on sexual abuse against children during the first six months this year.
Head of the crime division Comr. Ronald A. Purba said his division generally got two reports of cases every week.
'The victims of the last two cases were four girls aged 8 to 12 years old. We have to be more alert because the number of cases never declines,' he said on Wednesday.
The high number of crimes is an irony to the award for the city. Mayor Nur Mahmudi Ismail recently represented the city to receive a Child-Friendly City award from the government in accordance to the celebration of Children's Day this year.
