Is PDIP Right To Choose Mahfud MD?

JAKARTA - PDIP has announced Mahfud MD as a candidate for vice president to accompany Ganjar Pranowo in the 2024 Presidential Election (Pilpres). This was announced directly by PDIP General Chair Megawati Soekarnoputri at the PDIP DPP office on Jalan Pangeran Diponegoro, Menteng, Central Jakarta, Wednesday (18/10/2023) at around 10.00 WIB.

Mahfud's declaration also ends rumors regarding who will become Ganjar's tandem next year. Previously, Ganjar was linked to a number of names no less big, including Sandiaga Uno, Ridwal Kamil, and Andika Perkasa.

To arrive as Bacawapres, Mahmud MD has gone through a long and brilliant journey both in the executive, legislative and judicial realms. But in the midst of his journey, he also had time to swallow disappointment, which was twice given a 'false hope' in the previous two editions of the presidential election.

Mahmud MD had attended a lecture with two study programs at two different universities. He studied Arabic Literature at Gadjah Mada University (UGM) and Constitutional Law at the Islamic University of Indonesia (UII), both in Yogyakarta. Mahfud completed his study in 1983.

Mahfud then continued his studies on the Post-Sarjana program majoring in Political Sciences and Constitutional Law UGM, as well as the doctoral degree program for constitutional law and graduated in 1993.

In 2000 when he was 43 years old, he was named Professor of Legal Politics at UII. In the same year, he joined the Expert Team of the National Legal Development Agency (BPHN) of the Ministry of Law and Human Rights.

Mahfud's success in academics paved the way for him to lead to various strategic positions in Indonesian government and politics.

Mahfud's career at the executive level began with becoming Minister of Defense in the era of President Abdurrahman Wahid or Gus Dur in the period 2000-2001. In the same period, the man who was born on May 13, 1957 also held concurrent positions as Minister of Justice and Human Rights.

Mahfud then chose PKB as his political vehicle before finally being elected as a member of the DPR from the party through the 2004 election. Mahfud's career continued with being elected as Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK) in the period 2008-2013.

Chosen as Bacawapres to accompany Ganjar Pranowo in the 2024 presidential election, it can be said to be Mahfud's highest career. Previously he had failed to advance to the presidential election twice.

In 2014, Mahfud was promoted by PKB as Jokowi's Bacawapres. But in the end, PKB even supported Jokowi's duet with Jusuf Kalla.

Two weeks after being ignored, he then crossed into Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa's camp, then Jokowi-Jusuf Kalla's rival. He became chairman of the Red and White Coalition (KMP) Winning Team.

But four years later, Mahfud again established a close relationship with Jokowi and his name was widely discussed as Cawapres, replacing Jusuf Kalla.

He is even said to have accepted Jokowi's proposal to be with him to fight in the 2019 Presidential Election. Jokowi has even asked him to sew a white shirt, so that he can appear uniform during the declaration of the Presidential Candidate-Cawapres on Plataran Resto, Menteng, Central Jakarta, on August 9, 2018.

Right on the D-Day, Mahfud was at the Tesate Restaurant, not far from the location where the declaration was held. However, the public was then surprised because it was not Mahfud's name, which was announced as Jokowi's Vice Presidential Candidate, but the Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Ma'ruf Amin.

Even so, his relationship with Jokowi remains harmonious, as evidenced by him being appointed as Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs of the Advanced Indonesia Cabinet.

Reflecting on Mahfud MD's movement in the last nine years, the Minister of Justice and Human Rights in the era of President Aburrahman Wahid was labeled as a loyal person.

But political expert from the Indonesia Political Opinion (IPO) Dedi Kurnia Syah what Mahfud did was not something that needed to be debated, because basically there is no loyalty in the world of politics.

"In politics there is no definition of loyalty, political orientation is an effort to gain power in various ways, so it doesn't matter when someone changes support to each other, even Jokowi, who has been openly raised by PDIP, has the potential to leave and actually fight PDIP in 2024," said Dedi to VOI.

"Mahfud MD is difficult to say is not loyal, because he only changed groups during the presidential election, it would be different if Mahfud, another party cadre who crossed just to get a sustainability ticket," said Dedi added.

Even though they were forced to swallow false hopes twice, it is believed that Mahfud's comeback will have an impact on the other two presidential readings, Anies Baswedan and Prabowo Subianto.

Mahfud MD is claimed to be able to reduce Muhaimin's voice, which has loyal supporters in East Java. On the other hand, this can also affect the next step of Prabowo's camp, which so far has been in a duet with Gibran Rakabuming Raka.

"However, Mahfud's vote base is in East Java, and this has the potential to reduce Muhaimin's voice," said Dedi again.

"In addition, Prabowo could be in a dilemma, Gibran, who was originally the main character as Bacawapres, might change, but the change could only happen if Jokowi returns to support PDIP. If not, then Gibran will remain the best in Prabowo's choice," said Dedi.