Indonesian President Widodo gave new Australian prime minister an unusual gift

WhatsAppWhatsAppFacebookFacebookTwitterTwitterPinterestPinterestRedditRedditGmailGmailShareShare

 Beijing BeijingINDONESIA: Joko Widodo gifted new Australian Minister Anthony Albanese with a bamboo bicycle when he toured the presidential palace gardens south of Jakarta earlier this month.

As soon as Singgih Susilo Kartono realized the leaders would be riding the Spedagi model he had handcrafted in a little town on the island of Java, he was ecstatic.

During the symbolic bike ride, Prime Minister Albanese would slip his trousers into his socks after the statesmen removed their coats and ties and put on helmets.

An interview with AFP by the bike designer, 54 years old, revealed that the diplomatic gesture was a “unique, magical moment” for him.

This is not about whether Jokowi purchased the bike, but rather that it was used to greet Albanian Prime Minister (Albanese) Enrico Letta.

Aside from making bamboo wheels for world leaders, Kartono uses his sustainable bike crafting to employ locals and demonstrate to Indonesians how to better utilize the natural resources around them.

Related Posts

He said that he works with young people who lack the necessary abilities. They have a mechanism in place to teach unskilled people in product development how to do it properly. 

15 workers in Kartono’s village in Central Java built the model, which is named after the Indonesian terms “sepeda” for bicycle and “pagi” for morning. 

Bamboo stalks are harvested, coated with preservatives, dried, and laminated before being assembled into the bike frame.

Studies have demonstrated that bamboo has a high tensile strength that makes it a viable and environmentally acceptable substitute for steel when utilized in lightweight buildings.

Tri Wahyuni, the co-founder of the Spedagi bamboo bike company, told AFP that a fully completed Spedagi bamboo bike can take a week of meticulous effort, and some have been sold as far away as Japan.

Jasmine C.

Mabuhay! An upcoming Newswriter for the Asian Affairs from the Pearl of the Orient - Philippines. Avid follower of celebrity gossips, fashion news. I got into writing so that my fellow Kababayan will be constantly updated with the latest news.

Recent Posts

KPop Demon Hunters Movie Breaks Records with Hit Song ‘Golden’ on Spotify Charts

KPop Demon Hunters is the story of a huge animated movie success that conquered the hearts of people all around…

July 12, 2025

Massive Regional & International Football Clashes Set For 13 July 2025: Here is Your Schedule Guide!

A feast is set for the Vietnam football fans as the complete television schedule of the diverse football matches of…

July 12, 2025

B-Town’s Latest Couple? Elli AvrRam and Ashish Chanchlani Spark Buzz

The social media is buzzing over this new B-Town couple Ashish Chanchlani and the Swedish-Greek actress landed into the spotlight…

July 12, 2025

Samsung Galaxy M36 5G Spikes the Trending List on X! Here is the Secret

The newly revealed Samsung M36 5G has took over the social media especially the X by becoming the #1 trending…

July 12, 2025

MLC 2025 Qualifier: MI New York Sealed their Spot in Finals!

The much awaited Yellow and Blue jersey battle of TSK and MINY took place on 12 July 2025. With the…

July 12, 2025

Indonesia Removes 1.9 Million From July 2025 PKH-BPNT Aid List

The Indonesian government in a bold step to improve the accuracy of the social welfare distribution cut off 1.9 million…

July 12, 2025