Mahfud MD Asks For The Presence Of The Vice President Not Only To Be The President's "Ban Serep"

Vice Presidential Candidate Mahfud MD (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Vice Presidential Candidate (cawapres) Mahfud MD wants the vice president to be given a more role than just a spare tire. He had asked for this in front of PDIP General Chair Megawati Soekarnoputri when she was proposed as a companion to Ganjar Pranowo in the 2024 Presidential Election (Pilpres).

Initially, Mahfud said Megawati asked him to run as a vice presidential candidate for Ganjar and take care of law enforcement issues, eradicating corruption to dealing with law enforcement officials. A number of PDIP elites such as PDIP Secretary General Hasto Kristiyanto; PDIP General Treasurer Olly Dondokambey; and PDIP DPP chairman and Megawati's son, Prananda Prabowo were also present at the meeting.

"I was called by Mrs. Mega and then told, 'Mr. Mahfud, we have considered everything. Now Indonesia needs law enforcement, needs to eradicate corruption, (improvement, ed) the legal apparatus is chaotic. We need Mr. Mahfud to handle that. For this reason, Mr. Mahfud, we have proposed and we have decided this afternoon," Mahfud said in Akbar Faizal Uncensored's YouTube broadcast quoted Monday, November 13.

Receiving the request, Mahfud was willing but also surprised. The reason was that he did not know his name was in Megawati's pocket and a party supporting Ganjar.

"For me it was also a surprise because before that I was never told the truth that I was nominated," said the Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam).

In the conversation, Mahfud then asked to be given more access to dealing with political, legal and security issues (polhukam) if elected with Ganjar. Because, he saw that most of the issue commands in the sector were directly from the president.

Moreover, the constitution states that a president is assisted by his deputy. "If I were vice president, I would like to help direct the polhukm. Don't let the vice president not touch. If this access is given to me with the approval of Mas Ganjar, of course I will be a single dwi. I will not work alone," he said, imitating his statement at the meeting.

Receiving the request, Megawati called Mahfud agreed. He even said it had to be done.

"'Oh yes, Mr. Mahfud. That is indeed what Mr. Mahfud must do if he becomes vice president. That is followed by the concern of law enforcement, eradicating corruption, human rights violations'," he said imitating the statement made by the 5th President of the Republic of Indonesia.

Mahfud believes that his request can be carried out as when the First President of the Republic of Indonesia Soekarno or Bung Karno and his deputy, Moh. Hatta. "It's effective. Bung Hatta is the administrator and Bung Karno is the integrator," he said.

"Zaman Pak Harto (Indonesia's 2nd President Suharto), vice president is effective in the field of wasbang, supervision and development. Well, I want it to be like that. It's not too common to be or only work when the president doesn't exist but in the spirit of working together, I don't want to work alone. Stay in the spirit of a single dwi," continued Mahfud.

Mahfud claimed that this request had also been approved by Ganjar. The white-haired figure, he said, did not feel a problem with the request.

"After all, the responsibility of the final termination if there are very hot problems, it still has to be the president. However, I was given access to touch it not as a formality coordinator but rather instructive because I am Mas Ganjar's deputy, not his reserve, not his spare tire," he concluded.