Kaesang: Prof Mahfud It's Better Not To Resign, His Performance Is Still Needed By The President

JAKARTA - Kaesang Pangarep said that the candidate for vice president number 3 Mahfud MD does not need to resign as coordinating minister for politics, law and security (Menko Polhukam) because his performance is good and President Joko Widodo needs in the government.

"For me, for Prof Mahfud, yes, it's better not to back down; because so far his performance has been very good and the President (Joko Widodo) needs him as the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs," said Kaesang in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, quoted from Antara, Sunday, January 21.

The chairman of the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI) said this was to respond to the discourse circulating that presidential and vice presidential candidates in government should resign so that they can focus on the 2024 presidential election campaign.

That way, the campaign activities of the presidential and vice-presidential candidates who are still public officials will not interfere with the function of service to the community.

Apart from Mahfud, public officials who are also participants in the 2024 presidential election are Deputy Speaker of the DPR Muhaimin Iskandar as vice presidential candidate number 1, Minister of Defense Prabowo Subianto as presidential candidate number 2, and Surakarta Mayor Gibran Rakabuming Raka, who is also Kaesang's older brother, as cawapres number 2.

Kaesang, who is also the deputy head of the Prabowo-Gibran National Campaign Team (TKN), also commented on Gibran's insistence on resigning from the position of regional head in Surakarta City because he often took time off for campaigns.

According to Kaesang, all assessments returned to the public regarding the polemic of Gibran who was busy campaigning for the 2024 presidential election.

"I think I want to return to the community again, Mas Gibran wants to remain mayor for later, now, or asked to resign," said Jokowi's youngest son.

The provision of leave for public officials during the 2024 election campaign period has been regulated in Government Regulation (PP) Number 53 of 2023 which was stipulated on November 21, 2023 concerning Amendments to Government Regulation Number 32 of 2018 concerning Procedures for Resignation in the Nomination of Members of the House of Representatives, Members of the Regional Representative Council, Members of the Regional House of Representatives, President, and Vice President, Request for Permission in the Nomination of the President and Vice President, as well as Leave in the Implementation of the General Election Campaign.

The Indonesian KPU has determined three participants in the 2024 presidential election, namely the Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar pair number 1, Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka number 2, and Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud MD number 3.

The Indonesian KPU has set an election campaign period from November 28, 2023 to February 10, 2024, while the vote is scheduled for February 14, 2024.