Had A Chance To Talk With Ganjar-Megawati, Mahfud Wants Official Access To Handle Legal Problems If The Vice President Elects

Candidate for Vice President of the Republic of Indonesia Mahfud Md. after attending the event held at the Bhineka Nationalist Movement (GBN), Central Jakarta, Tuesday (14/11/2023). ANTARA/Rina Nur Anggraini

JAKARTA - Vice Presidential Candidate Mahfud MD spoke with Ganjar Pranowo and PDI-P Chairman Megawati Soekarnoputri to get official access to handle legal problems if elected as vice president through the 2024 General Election. "If I become vice president and win, I ask for official access to the president (elected) that I was ordered to handle these (law) problems, not just a formality. The vice president is not a reserve, the vice president is a double," Mahfud said as quoted by Antara, Tuesday, November 14. Mahfud said that his current position as Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menkopolhukam) could not take legal action, but was only able to convey various cases of violations of the law to law enforcement officials. Therefore, he said, if he is elected as vice president, he will have instructive authority, not just coordinative. "I told Mrs. Mega, Mr. Ganjar, and my coalition friends, I (candidate) should not only be ceremonial because I already know and I don't want to," said Mahfud. Although he asked to be given the authority to access law enforcement if elected as vice president, Mahfud emphasized that there was no intention of competing with Ganjar Pranowo. "I don't want to be a twin sun. The sun is still Pak Ganjar, but give me authority," he said. The General Elections Commission (KPU) has appointed three pairs of presidential and vice presidential candidates as participants in the 2024 presidential election, namely Anies Baswedan-Muhaimin Iskandar, Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud Md., and Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka. The Anies-Muhaimin pair was promoted by the NasDem Party, the National Awakening Party (PKB), the Prosperous Justice Party (PKS), and the Ummah Party. The Ganjar-Mahfud pair is promoted by the Indonesian Democratic Party (PDI) of Struggle, the United Development Party (PPP), the Indonesian Unity Party (Perindo), and the People's Conscience Party (Hanura). The Prabowo-Gibran pair was promoted by the Greater Indonesia Movement Party (Gerindra), the Golkar Party (Golkar), the National Mandate Party (PAN), the Democratic Party, the Crescent Star Party (PBB), the Indonesian People's Wave Party (Gelora), the Garda Party of the Republic of Indonesia (Garuda), and the Indonesian Solidarity Party (PSI), as well as the People's Fair and Prosperous Party (Prima) who did not qualify to participate in the 2024 General Election.

The KPU has set an election campaign period from November 28, 2023 to February 10, 2024, then the voting schedule will be on February 14, 2024.