Eid in North Sumatra, Jokowi takes his grandchildren to Center Point and shops at Berastagi fruit market

While-President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and First Lady Iriana Jokowi celebrate Eid in Medan starting Thursday (11/4/2024).

On the second day of Eid, President Joko Widodo invited his grandchildren to play while connecting with Medan residents at Center Point Shopping Mall, Medan, North Sumatra Province.

Jokowi, dressed in a dark T-shirt, arrived with his grandchildren, Sedah Mirah Nasution, Panembahan Al Nahyan Nasution and Panembahan Al Saud Nasution.

Shortly after arriving, the president immediately took his grandson to the children's play area. From outside the area, the president observed his three grandchildren while trying their hand at various kinds of games. One of them, Saud, looked joyful as he rode the ride.

While watching his grandchildren play, President Jokowi greeted people spending time with their families at the mall. Jodi and Putri, a married couple, for example, had the opportunity to take a photo with the president.

Glad it's the first time. “We have been to Medan several times but this is the first time we are meeting (the president),” Jodi and Putri said.

Merti and Lidya also did not miss the opportunity to take a photo with the president. Among the crowd, they shouted the President's name loudly before finally being called to come forward and take a group photo. They also expressed their hopes and prayers for the president's health.

“I hope you will always be healthy, live long and stay enthusiastic,” they both said.

Other people who met the president and his three grandchildren also said they were very happy. In fact, according to them, it was the first time they had shaken the President's hand.

Happy, sir. It was a lifetime to shake the president's hand, said Novianto, who came with his family.

“I hope you will always be in good health, protected by God Almighty,” he added.

Friday prayers at the Grand Mosque

President Joko Widodo performed Friday prayers at the Grand Mosque, Medan City, North Sumatra Province, Friday, April 12, 2024. The president, dressed in a white long-sleeved koko shirt and black skullcap , arrived at the Grand Mosque around 12:21 WIB.

Before performing Friday prayers, the President listened to a sermon titled Grounding the Meaning of Taqwa to Become a True Muslim, delivered by Dedi Iskandar Batubara under the title khatib. In his sermon, the khatib said that piety has three elements linked to each other, namely faith, Islam and ihsan.

“If one element is missing, then piety loses its meaning and cannot become a superior character that would make its owner an ideal Muslim,” the khatib said.

Then, the Head of State celebrated Friday congregational prayers led by Irham Taufik as Imam. Irham Taufik is the director of the Tahfizul Coran Darut Taufik Islamic boarding school.

After performing Friday prayers, President Jokowi also greeted the people in the mosque and its surrounding areas. In addition to greeting, the president also took selfies with the audience.

Acting also accompanied the president during Friday prayers. Governor of North Sumatra Hassanudin.

Berastagi Fruit Market

Then, amid the hustle and bustle of the Eid holiday, President Joko Widodo chose to visit the Berastagi fruit market in Karo Regency, North Sumatra Province on Saturday, April 13, 2024. This historic market and center of the economic life of local farmers. is increasingly busy with the presence of number one in Indonesia.

With a market area of ​​one hectare, Berastagi Fruit Market is not only a place for buying and selling transactions, but also a symbol of the cultural and agricultural wealth of Tanah Karo. Here, various agricultural products such as red potatoes, oranges, mangoes and snake fruits are not only sold but also represent the lives of farmers who have taken care of this land for generations.

President Jokowi did not hesitate to dive straight into the crowd, selecting and purchasing locally produced fresh fruits sold by vendors upon arrival at the market. It was recorded that President Jokowi purchased five kilos of oranges, two kilos of mangoes, two kilos of salak and two kilos of red potatoes.

Marlina Kataren, an orange trader, expressed her joy at the presence of the Head of State. For him, President Jokowi's purchases are not only economic transactions, but also a symbol of hope that fruit sellers' goods in the market will become more popular.

Alhamdulillah, it's great that the Father of the Nation is here. “Like this dream, I hope that with the arrival of Mr. Jokowi, our sales will become even more popular,” said Marlina.

Lilis Sembiring, another orange trader, said her meeting with President Jokowi was emotional for her. Wow, I saw Mr. Jokowi earlier, tears were about to flow. I am very happy that Mr. Jokowi was allowed to be here.

The President's visit not only left traders deeply moved, but also sent a strong message about the importance of supporting the local agricultural sector. With approximately 70 percent of the population of Karo Regency. (Sal)