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President to embark on Christmas tour in eastern provinces
President Joko âJokowiâ Widodo plans to keep himself busy during the Christmas holiday
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P
resident Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo plans to keep himself busy during the Christmas holiday. He is set to embark on a series of visits to the country's eastern regions, including East Nusa Tenggara (NTT) and Papua.
Jokowi's penchant for last-minute trips has extended to the final days of 2015 during which he is scheduled to attend a number of events across the country.
NTT Governor Frans Lebu Raya said that the President planned to visit the province from Saturday through to Monday. During his stay, the former Jakarta governor will visit Labuan Bajo on the western tip of Flores to observe the development of Komodo Airport.
Jokowi is also scheduled to visit the town of Atambua to join in a groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the Rotiklot Dam in the region that shares its border with Timor Leste.
The following day, Jokowi is slated to attend a Christmas celebration in the provincial capital of Kupang. 'This is the schedule that has been issued by the State Palace. But this could change at the last minute,' Frans said.
Indonesian Communion of Churches (PGI) chairperson Henriette Lebang applauded Jokowi's plan to visit Kupang for Christmas, saying that it was an opportunity for the President to be among the people in a time of need.
'We know that Alor [regency] was recently hit by a natural disaster and that the local population continues to face problems in education, the economy and welfare,' Henriette said, referring to November's earthquake in Alor that damaged 1,800 buildings and produced losses amounting to Rp 123 billion (US$9 million).
Meanwhile, Bey Machmudin, head of media relations at the State Palace, said the President returned to his hometown of Surakarta, Central Java, on Wednesday, to spend time with his family.
'Despite being in Solo [Surakarta] for informal activities, the President continues to monitor conditions across the country,' he said on Friday.
Jokowi has also made plans to visit Papua at the end of this month to review progress in development projects and to meet with local officials. 'President Jokowi is expected to visit Papua at the end of this month, possibly on Dec. 29,' presidential staff-member Lenis Kogoya said on Wednesday as quoted by Antara.
He said the President would inaugurate a prototype house for Papuan natives in Jayapura Regency before visiting women traders indigenous to Papua, colloquially known as mama-mama, at the Youtefa Market before continuing on to Merauke.
Lenis said the President also expected to meet with local tribal chiefs in Papua. 'I will do my best to bring together the President and Papua Governor Lukas Enembe in a meeting to discuss the development of the Mama-Mama Market in Jayapura city,' he said.
Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung said that the President's schedule could possibly change.
Pramono said Jokowi was also scheduled to return to Jakarta for the inauguration of the new Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) office building on Dec. 28.
Separately, National Police spokesperson Insp. Gen. Anton Charliyan said the police would step up security in places where Jokowi was expected to visit.
'In Kupang, a few hundred people were recruited for the task force [to secure the President's visit],' Anton said at the police headquarters in Jakarta.
