Jakarta. Hundreds of people lined up at the State Palace on Wednesday to meet and greet President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo and First Lady Iriana in person on the first day of Eid al-Fitr when the palace was open to the public.

It’s the first open Eid festive at the palace since the Covid-19 pandemic three years ago.

However, with the limited time available from 9 to 11 a.m., many were unable to get into the palace.

“We understand the high public enthusiasm of meeting the president and the first lady at the palace and fully appreciate and respect their arrivals,” Presidential Protocol Bureau head Yusuf Permana said in a statement.

"As we informed earlier, the time is very limited because we also need to get prepared for the zuhur prayer," he said, referring to the obligatory mid-day prayer for Muslims. "We apologize for being unable to accommodate all guests.”

Cabinet members were allowed to come earlier but their motorcades were restricted until the palace gate and ministers had to walk across the front yard to meet the president.

Communication Minister Budi Arie Setiadi said President-elect Prabowo Subianto, who is also the defense minister, was the first guest to be received by Jokowi.

Prabowo was accompanied by his only son Didit Hadiprasetyo.

“When I arrived in the morning, Mr. Prabowo was already inside the palace,” Budi said.

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