Jokowi assumes office; tries to manage expectations

Joko “Jokowi” Widodo became Indonesia’s 7th president as he took his oath on Monday, October 20. “In the name of God, I swear that I will fulfill my obligation as the president of Indonesia as best as I can and as fairly as possible,” the 53-year-old former furniture exporter said. The leader of the world’s third largest democracy also acknowledged in his first interview the “high hopes and the high expectations” of Indonesians. He said it is a burden that has to be “realized soon.” He added, “The people want a huge transformation immediately, but everything has a process. It’s not as easy as flipping the palm of your hand.”

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