Indonesia President Joko Widodo forced to walk 2km to avoid traffic jam

JAKARTA (AFP) - Indonesia's notorious traffic congestion was on display for the world Thursday (Oct 5) after the country's president was forced to walk 2km through the scorching heat to attend a military parade.

The country's traffic nightmares were aptly illustrated when President Joko Widodo had to walk more than 2km to attend a ceremony marking the 72nd anniversary of the Indonesian military's founding.

He and senior government officials were held up by gridlock as they approached the military parade in Cilegon, a port city about two-and-a-half hours drive from the capital Jakarta, the presidential palace said.

After a 30-minute wait, "the president then decided from inside the car that he would walk," his guard Ili Dasili said in a statement.

National police chief Tito Karnavian, who was also stuck in the jam, joined the president.

Video footage shows the president walking with a phalanx of security personnel while spectators yell and chant his name.

The president's unorthodox entrance wasn't lost on social media users, who questioned why the leader of South-east Asia's largest economy was compelled to walk to the event.

"How come the president walked for 2km to the military anniversary location, why didn't they give him the privilege of vacating the road or taking him in a helicopter?" Twitter user @Pujithegooners wrote.