Indonesia: Metal fans cheer Joko Widodo poll win

Like his heavy metal heroes, Joko Widodo also draws huge crowds

The winner of Indonesia's presidential election has been receiving congratulatory messages from an unlikely group of supporters - heavy metal music fans around the world.

Soon after Jakarta Governor Joko Widodo - widely known as Jokowi - declared victory on Tuesday, Randy Blythe, singer of the metal band Lamb of God, expressed his support on Instagram: "Incredibly, ladies and gentlemen, the new president of Indonesia is a metalhead and a Lamb of God fan," adding that Widodo is "the world's first heavy metal president". Another heavy metal band, Anthrax, posted a congratulatory message on Facebook, saying: "Now if only all other countries would follow suit."

Widodo, a former furniture-maker who grew up in a small village, is seen as a man of the people who comes from outside Indonesia's political establishment - which has traditionally been dominated by figures from the political elite and the military. Indonesian metalheads also hope that, with a president who is an open heavy metal fan, the genre will gain acceptance and popularity across the country, the Jakarta Post reports.

Among other rock bands, the newly-elected president is said to be a fan of Metallica

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