REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA - Arkana, a music group from London, Britain, has commended Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo, popularly known as Jokowi, on Tuesday in connection with his victory in the 2014 presidential election. Matt Hart, the band's guitarist, met with Jokowi in person at the Jakarta'sCity Hall.

"I have always loved Jakarta. When Jokowi was announced as the winner, I immediately bought a plane ticket to Jakarta to congratulate him in person," he said after the meeting.

He remarked that he liked Jokowi very much because of his humbleness, friendliness, close relationship with people, and support to music industry.

"I admire him as he never hesitates to reveal honestly about himself to others. His support to music has also impressed me," he noted.

In response, Jokowi said he was glad to see the musician and had thanked him for the wish that he had conveyed in person.

"Matt had come here to congratulate me and Jusuf Kalla (Jokowi's running mate). Thank you," he exclaimed.

Jokowi pointed out that during the meeting he had also discussed with Matt about issues related to creative industries, especially music in London.

"After conversing with him, I came to the conclusion that three factors had to be taken care of with regard to development of music industry: law enforcement against piracy, infrastructure, and incentive regulation," he noted.

He stated that if the three issues could be implemented, then artists and musicians in the country would be more productive and encouraged to produce art works. At the meeting that lasted for about an hour, Matt Hart was accompanied by Abdee Negara, a guitarist of the country's music group Slank, and presenter Olga Lidya.

Jokowi with his running mate Jusuf Kalla, who was a former vice president, had been declared by the General Elections Commission (KPU) as the winner of the July 9 presidential election. His rival former military figure Prabowo Subianto who had paired with former economic minister Hatta Rajasa, however, had refused the KPU's decision citing massive, structured, and systematic fraud, and had filed a lawsuit with the Constitutional Court.

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