President Joko Widodo invites G20 media teams to stroll Bali Forest Park

Bali (ANTARA) - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) invited G20 member states' official media representatives to stroll the Ngurah Rai Forest Park while awaiting the arrival of G20 heads of states.

"It is the president himself who asked, 'Let us take them for a walk because they still need to wait for long,'" Presidential Secretariat's Deputy of Protocol, Press, and Media, Bey Machmudin, stated here, Wednesday.

Machmudin said that Jokowi decided to stroll along with the official media representatives, as the activity schedule had been delayed.

"(Because we are) waiting for national delegates, the activity has been delayed for 1-1.5 hours, and official media representatives of each member state have been told to wait in the meeting room. The president is not inviting foreign media, as they are instead the official media, who take pictures for national delegates," Machmudin expounded.

As observed from the G20 Media Centre, the president arrived at the forest park at 8:45 a.m. local time (UTC +8). He then conversed with members of the G20 member states' official media team, who arrived at the spot earlier while awaiting the heads of states.

During the encounter, the president also offered to guide and introduce to official media representatives about the Ngurah Rai Forest Park.

Representatives of G20 member states' official media are glad, as they can converse casually with the president as strict protocols for the head of state had been relaxed.

Bali Governor I Wayan Koster, Minister of Environment and Forestry Siti Nurbaya Bakar, and Minister of Public Works and Public Housing Basuki Hadimuljono accompanied the president for stroll at the park with official media teams.

An avid photograph enthusiast, Hadimuljono was seen mingled with official photographers and, while holding a DSLR camera akin to a professional photographer, also documenting the moment.