President Joko Widodo visits traders at Wameo Baubau Market

Baubau, SE Sulawesi (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) visited several traders at the Wameo Traditional Market, Wameo Village, Batupoara District, Baubau City, Southeast Sulawesi, Tuesday.

President Jokowi's convoy and his entourage were closely guarded by Presidential Security Detail (Paspampres) members, who walked to the left and right of the vehicle, arriving at the market at around 8:40 local time.

President Jokowi was on the left seat when the car window was lowered for waving out to thousands of residents, who welcomed his arrival.

People along the road were standing in the area where the president's vehicle and his entourage passed, calling out his name.

"Mr. Jokowi..., Mr. Jokowi..., the clothes, Mr. Jokowi," shouted the masses, who had thronged Wameo Market since around 6:00 local time.

Jokowi, who got out of the presidential car, immediately waved to the people, who came to welcome him.

The people were immediately overjoyed on seeing the president wave out of them and kept calling out President Jokowi's name. Residents then captured the moment on their cell phones.

After five minutes, the president entered the market under the tight guard of Paspampres. The military (TNI)-the police (Polri) helped secure President Jokowi's arrival at the market.

Jokowi entered the area of vegetable traders. He walked while greeting traders and even shook hands with one of the vegetable traders.

After greeting the traders at the market for approximately four minutes, the president then got back into the presidential vehicle to continue the agenda in the Buton Islands region.

While leaving the market location, the head of state also distributed black t-shirts to the people standing along the road.

Eli Sumarni, 36, a vegetable trader from Melai Village, Murhum District, Baubau City, who interacted with the president, admitted that she had never dreamed of meeting President Jokowi in person.

"I was so happy that I wanted to cry because I was unexpectedly able to hold the president's hand, and of all the traders, I was the only one who shook hands directly," Sumarni stated.

She also received direct assistance for business capital from the president.

"President Jokowi said to me that there was a little additional capital for her business, that is all, then shook hands and he (President Jokowi) left," she said.

Baca juga: Presiden Joko Widodo sambangi pedagang di Pasar Wameo Baubau