Mahfud Direct Permission To Jokowi Leave Once A Week During Campaign

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, Tuesday (24/10/2023), to appear before President Joko Widodo. BETWEEN/Indra Arief Pribadi/am.

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs Mahfud MD conveyed permission directly to President Joko Widodo to take a leave of at least one day a week during the 2024 election campaign period.

Mahfud said President Jokowi approved the request.

"I have told the President, while I will take time off once a week during the campaign season, if the holiday does not take leave, it is a holiday. The President agrees, the important thing is that the task is maintained as well as possible. Keep this nation safe so that elections (public elections) run peacefully," Mahfud said as quoted by ANTARA, Tuesday, October 24.

Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs directly faced President Jokowi at the Presidential Palace, Jakarta, Tuesday afternoon, at around 15.30 WIB.

Mahfud met President Jokowi, including to directly convey his candidacy as a candidate for vice president (cawapres) in the 2024 General Election, as well as to ask for permission for leave directly.

"At 15.30 I met the President at the Palace. There was a general problem with daily tasks asking to maintain their continuity, then specifically for my problems I became a vice presidential candidate. Hopefully everything goes smoothly," he said.

Mahfud continued that during his candidacy period, he continued to serve as Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs and remained the minister of the Advanced Indonesia Cabinet.

"Regarding my position, it is still in accordance with the regulations. If I am in this ministerial position like other ministers, of course, if I join the matching (pilpres, ed.) it is a campaign season. The leave is one week," he explained.

Mahfud MD ran as a candidate to accompany the presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo in the 2024 election. The coalition of political parties, namely the PDI-P, PPP, Hanura Party, and Perindo-Party registered the Ganjar-Mahfud pair as candidates for presidential and vice-presidential candidates to the KPU on October 19, 2023.