"I do not have holidays on Saturdays and Sundays. I actually have two or three times more activity on my agenda," Jokowi stated, during the Indonesian President`s Silaturahim with the Committee and the Winner of the Church of the Republic of Indonesia Choir Party (Pesparani) in 2018 on Monday.
He noted that he would sometimes be more able to breathe free only on weekdays instead of weekends.
Because when the weekend arrives, my agenda is actually full.
"I like an ordinary working day, as Saturday and Sunday can be two-fold busy. I arrived last Sunday morning at 6 a.m. at Anyar Market in Tangerang Regency. I reached the hotel only by midnight. The next morning, I again had to attend an event, "he explained.
The former governor of Jakarta often complained to the Secretary of State who prepares the schedule for him.
"I actually often convey this to the minister of state. My minister is also like you, he has the feeling of being tired. I am not a robot to be taken from here and brought here," he remarked.
Jokowi noted that he needed to take a break so as to avoid being tired.
"The arrangement includes a rest period and a resting place. If the scope is only Jakarta, we can arrange it, but if it is in Aceh, Papua, and Ambon, then it becomes very difficult," he noted.
The president shared the matters in front of the committee and participants of the 2018 pesparani, who were specifically invited to the Bogor Presidential Palace.
He also specifically expressed his apologies for not being able to attend the opening ceremony of the Pesparani in Ambon in October 2018.
He noted that in the previous few months, he had actually met with the committee and was set to attend the event.
"It has been arranged by the Ministry and the Minister of State Secretary. If there is an event that regulates the State Secretariat, the president is told where to come. I cannot regulate where I should go," he remarked.
Unfortunately, at that time, there was an agenda of state duties whose arrangements were difficult to compromise on time, he revealed.
"It is really right now, especially on Saturdays and Sundays," he added.
But he stressed that he could breathe a sigh of relief in the end and was happy to be able to meet all the participants and the Pesparani committee.
"But I am happy that finally today, I could meet all participants and all national Pesparani committees," he pointed out.
He specifically appreciated the holding of the 2018 Pesparani event, which was considered a success, and congratulated the winners.
Reporting by Hanni Sofia
Editing by Eliswan Azly, Andi Abdussalam
Reporter: Antara
Editor: Suharto
Copyright © ANTARA 2018
