The man, who started his political career in Surakarta (Solo) City, Central Java, will return to his hometown after handing over his head of state position to President-elect Prabowo Subianto on October 20. He has spoken of his plan to retire on various occasions.
Jokowi, in September 2024, had reportedly applied to move his residence to Solo.
Meanwhile, over his 10-year tenure, his administration has issued a plethora of development policies, which have marked myriad achievements.
Jokowi's development policies can be realized owing to his political strategy and branding of being "modest," which won the hearts of people and his political opponents even before he became the president.
Jokowi's political style of being simple and modest seems to flow naturally, as he has led a simple life since childhood in Solo. He greeted people and held a dialogue with them.
Jokowi was born in Surakarta in 1961 and known by the name Mulyono. He studied elementary school, junior high school, and high school in his hometown.
As a child, Jokowi earned his own money to pay for school needs and his pocket money. He sold items, offered umbrella services to people during the rains, and served as a laborer.
After graduating from high school in 1980, Jokowi continued his studies at the Faculty of Forestry, Gadjah Mada University (UGM).
There he learned about wood. Jokowi's father, Widjiatno Notomihardjo, a carpenter, inspired him to study carpentry.
Since graduating from UGM in 1985, Jokowi worked at a state-owned enterprise (SOE) company engaged in the paper sector.
However, not long after, Jokowi decided to join his uncle's timber business before finally opening his own business.
Jokowi entered the world of politics by joining the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) in 2004. At that time, he was already an established businessman and exporter of wood and wooden furniture.
In 2005, he ran in a mayoral election in Solo and won. Since then, Jokowi has enjoyed a smooth political career.
In 2012, Jokowi won the governor's seat in the Jakarta Regional Head Election. Two years later, paired with Jusuf Kalla, he won the 2014 Presidential Election.
At that time, Jokowi's political image of being populist was on the rise. The public knew him as an official who was populist, modest, and unpretentious.
Infrastructure development
During his 2014-2019 term, Jokowi based his vision and mission on the spirit of the "Reformasi 1998" which promised the birth of a new Indonesia that is more democratic, prosperous, fair, and dignified.
Through his administration's vision of "Nawa Cita,'' or the nine agendas, Jokowi was keen to ensure the state remains present to protect the entire nation and provide a sense of security to all citizens.
Jokowi focused on the Indonesia-centric vision to build infrastructure across the country and was keen to ensure that the development did not only focus on Java Island.
Jokowi realized his vow to build the country from its borders. Under his leadership, renovation has been conducted at all cross-state border posts (PLBN) in the country. He often visited remote areas, including Papua, which has spurred massive development there.
Jokowi's government has intensively built infrastructure for connectivity, including toll roads, electric railways, and airport runways.
Based on data from the Ministry of Public Works and Public Housing released by the Office of the Presidential Staff (KSP), the government built 2,050 km of toll roads between 2015 and 2023.
Furthermore, dams and reservoirs were built to support the agricultural sector.
In the 2015-2023 period, the construction of irrigation networks reached 1,181,120 hectares and the rehabilitation of irrigation networks covered 4,344,868 hectares, and 42 dam projects were completed in the 2015-2024 period.
Downstream policy and IKN legacy
Towards the end of his term, Jokowi continues to intensify the downstream policy in all sectors to increase the added value of the nation's natural resources.
With this policy, Jokowi is keen to bring Indonesia out of the so-called "natural resource curse" wherein the country merely serves as a supplier of raw materials for advanced countries. Through downstreaming, Jokowi expects Indonesia to be able to process its raw materials into value-added products.
One of Jokowi's biggest breakthroughs is the relocation of the country's capital from Jakarta to IKN Nusantara in East Kalimantan.
The IKN Nusantara development is marked by the issuance of Law Number 3 of 2022 concerning the State Capital.
Despite much work left to be done, the Presidential Palace at IKN is already functional within two years.
Apart from the pros and cons, the country's capital relocation aims to encourage equal Indonesia-centric development.
What has been done and fought for by Jokowi's administration in the last decade can be continued by the next government led by Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
Sustainability is crucial so Indonesia, in its efforts to become an advanced country, does not repeat from the start every time there is a change in leadership.
