Coffee With Ganjar, Mahfud MD: Nostalgia As Friends

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam) Mahfud MD admitted that he had talked a lot of things when he was sitting drinking coffee with former Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo. However, most of them were only nostalgic because the two of them had indeed worked together when they were members of the DPR RI. This was conveyed by the former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK) in response to Ganjar's upload which was one of the presidential candidates in the 2024 Presidential Election. Through his Instagram account, @ganjar_pranowo, the white-haired figure uploaded his closeness with Mahfud. What was discussed was more nostalgic as a friend," said Mahfud to reporters in his written statement, Monday, September 11.Mahfud then explained that the meeting took place on Sunday, September 10. He admitted that he appeared familiar because of many discussions that he had actually often held with Ganjar. Ganjar is my friend since we were in the DPR for the 2004-2009 period. Until he became the Governor, I often ate at Mas Ganjar's dining table, Mas Ganjar often ate at my dining table at home, he said. For information, Ganjar is a PDI-P-backed presidential candidate (PDIP), the Persatuan Pembangunan Party (PPP), the Perindo Party, and the Hanura Party. He is currently looking for other candidates for his deputy to run in the 2024 presidential election, Regarding Ganjar's vice president, PDIP Secretary General Hasto Kristiyanto revealed that currently the names were starting to be narrowed. Among other things, Sandiaga Uno, Mahfud MD, Ridwan Kamil, Erick Thohir, and Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY). But, he said another opportunity was also open. Hasto said, the name of the so-called vice presidential candidate did not come from the list above. "Yes, beyond the names of the survey that have already been circulated, there could also appear a new figure, even though the names were conclusted by five. There may be national figures who do not participate in the contestation, but continue to work in a continuous manner for the nation and state," said Has

Moreover, this incident is actually not new. Because, in the 2019 Presidential Election, President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) as an incumbent suddenly ran with Ma'ruf Amin who is the Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI). "Empirically 2019, outside of electoral issues suddenly KH Ma'ruf Amin appeared. As a possibility, that could happen," said Hasto.