Jakarta (ANTARA) - Joni Manurung walked from his home in Medan, North Sumatra, to Jakarta for 188 days to shake hands with President Prabowo Subianto during the open house event at the Presidential Palace on Monday (March 31).
Having attended the open house event at the palace in Jakarta, Manurung shared that he felt deeply moved and proud to have completed his mission and finally met and shaken hands with the president.
"Wow, it was very memorable. I walked all the way from Medan to the Presidential Palace just to shake hands with Mr. Prabowo," he remarked when met during the open house event.
Manurung recounted his journey, which began in Medan in August 2024 and concluded in Jakarta on February 14, 2025, inspiring others to undertake similar endeavors through his TikTok account.
When asked about his motivation for walking from Medan to Jakarta, Manurung expressed his admiration for President Prabowo's patriotism and spirit. He also prayed for the president's health and wished for his continued well-being.
"We pray for the president to be healthy and to lead Indonesia to be even better," he remarked
President Prabowo hosted the open house at the Presidential Palace on Monday to celebrate Eid al-Fitr 1446 Hijri. During the event, he also held a gathering with several public figures and officials, followed by interactions with the public.
Five thousand people participated in the event.
However, due to time constraints, not all citizens who entered the palace could shake hands with the president.
Despite this, attendees were welcomed to enjoy the food provided at the open house and received gift bags containing food and beverage items, instant noodles, tea bags, milk, sugar, umbrellas, towels, drinking containers, and various snacks.
