Mahfud MD Enters Ganjar's Vice Presidential Radar: It's Normal

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menkopolhukam) Mahfud MD admitted that he was normal when his name entered into one of the exchanges for candidates for vice president (cawapres) who would accompany the future presidential candidate (candidate) of the Republic of Indonesia Ganjar Pranowo.

He conveyed this in response to the media crew who asked if he was surprised by the information.

"It's normal," said Mahfud at the Senayan Parliament Complex, Jakarta, quoted by ANTARA, Friday, June 9.

At the beginning, Mahfud only responded by asking back to the media crew who asked their response questions regarding the PDI-P's statement that his name was included as a candidate for Ganjar Pranowo's companion.

"Oh, is there?" he replied.

Previously, Tuesday, June 6, PDI-P DPP Chair Puan Maharani revealed a number of names that were considered as candidates for vice presidential candidates to accompany Ganjar Pranowo's presidential candidate.

A number of candidates for Ganjar's companion are Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD, Minister of SOEs Erick Thohir, Governor of West Java Ridwan Kamil, Menparekraf Sandiaga Uno, Chairman of the Democratic Party Agus Harimurti Yudhoyono (AHY), and Chairman of the Golkar Party Airlangga Hartarto.

"If I may mention, what is in the media is Mr. Mahfud, the name has been entered. Mr. Erick Thohir, Mr. Ridwan Kamil, Mr. Sandiaga Uno, Mr. AHY, sopo (who else) Mas? Mr. Airlangga. The names, yes, are included in the map in the PDI-P," said Puan at the PDI-P National Working Meeting (Rakernas) III in Jakarta, Tuesday (6/6).

According to the stages, the registration for the presidential and vice presidential candidates of the Republic of Indonesia is scheduled for October 19 to November 25, 2023.

Based on Law Number 7 of 2017 concerning Elections (UU Pemilu), pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates are proposed by political parties or coalitions of political parties participating in the election who meet the requirements for obtaining seats of at least 20 percent of the total seats in the DPR or obtaining 25 percent of valid votes nationally in the previous election for members of the DPR.

Currently, there are 575 seats in parliament, so that the pairs of presidential and vice-presidential candidates in the 2024 presidential election must have at least 115 seats in the DPR RI. It is also possible that the candidate pairs can be promoted by political parties or a combination of political parties participating in the 2019 Election with a total valid vote acquisition of at least 34,992,703 votes.