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JAKARTA<\/span> \u2013 The camera was meant to show leadership in action \u2013 Surabaya Mayor Eri Cahyadi on the ground, meeting residents, tackling floods after heavy rains. But one forgotten microphone caught something else: an unidentified voice saying \u201cepok-epok keliling\u201d, and a political storm was born. <\/p>\n The Javanese phrase means \u201cpretending\u201d or \u201cas if\u201d, distinct from Singapore\u2019s \u201cepok-epok\u201d which means the curry puff snack. It slipped out during live streaming on the mayor\u2019s official account at the end of October, before turning viral on Nov 1. <\/p>\n Within hours, the audio was everywhere. The hashtag #EpokEpokKeliling surged across TikTok, X and Instagram, drawing thousands of views and setting off a national debate about authenticity and performance in Indonesia\u2019s politics.<\/p>\n The clip lasted just seconds. But in a digital culture where every frame is scrutinised, it was enough. Many Indonesians took the remark as a cynical comment implying that the mayor\u2019s activities were staged \u2013 \u201cas if working\u201d. Others, familiar with local slang, insisted it was harmless production lingo for a \u201csimulation\u201d or \u201cretake\u201d.<\/p>\n In a country that prizes sincerity in public life, the nuance hardly mattered. The damage spread faster than any clarification, with critics accusing the mayor\u2019s team of staging scenes to make him look hardworking.<\/p>\n Then the voice behind the words stepped forward. Ms Hening Dzikrillah, a junior member of the mayor\u2019s media team, tearfully announced her resignation in a video on Nov 2, saying: \u201cThis was entirely my personal mistake. I understand this has had a significant impact on the mayor.\u201d <\/p>\n