JAKARTA – A wax figure of President Joko Widodo is set to be exhibited at Madame Tussauds Hong Kong later this year.
The effigy of Mr Joko, better known as Jokowi, will be placed in the museum’s Historical and National Heroes section this summer, joining other world leaders, such as Indonesia’s first president Sukarno, Indian independence hero Mahatma Gandhi, former US president Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Madame Tussauds Hong Kong general manager Jenny You said Mr Joko was friendly and patient during their sitting, which took place at the State Palace last year.
“He spent a great deal of discussion with our team to make sure his figure would be made to perfection,” she said in a press release. “We are confident that his appearance will greatly enhance visitors’ experience and cannot wait to bring the finished figure to our attraction by the second quarter of 2017.”
Previously, the museum’s sculpting team and artists came from the UK to meet Mr Joko in person and make exact measurements. According to reports, over 200 precise measurements and hundreds of reference photos were taken, while the waxing process in London took six months.
Mr Joko was chosen based on a survey conducted by the museum. The survey results showed that the president was perceived as a famous world leader that the public would like to see at the museum.
