Prabowo's Criticism Of Answer, Mahfud MD: Alutsista Data Is Not A State Secret

Presidential Candidate number 2, Prabowo Subianto and presidential candidate number 3, Ganjar Pranowo in the third presidential election debate, Sunday, January 7. (doc. VOI)

JAKARTA - Candidate for vice president (cawapres) number 3, Mahfud Md said that the data on the main weapon system or defense equipment that became the topic of debate for the third presidential election in 2024 was not a state secret.

"Nothing from the question (during the debate) must reveal state secrets. It can be opened to the public because it is not a matter of defense strategy. It is a matter of defense equipment, it cannot be discussed in a closed room," Mahfud said when met after the Plenary Cabinet Session at the Presidential Palace Complex, Jakarta, Tuesday, January 9, was confiscated by Antara.

Indirectly, Mahfud criticized the answer of presidential candidate number 2 Prabowo Subianto who proposed that the data on defense equipment be discussed in a separate forum when the presidential candidate number 1 Anies Baswedan and presidential candidate number 3 Ganjar Pranowo asked during the third debate of the 2024 presidential election.

"If (talked about) in a closed room it's called a burnout, not a debate," said Mahfud.

As defense minister during President Abdurrahman Wahid's administration in the early 2000s, Mahfud claimed he really understood what information included state secrets and which were not state secrets.

"The secret of the country, for example intelligence, an attack strategy. When it comes to budgeting or situations, it's not a secret. For me, I'm a former Defense Minister too, I know which law (about) is confidential (state data)," said Mahfud.

Furthermore, Mahfud assessed that the holding of the third debate for the 2024 presidential election was good.

He also admitted that he disagreed with President Joko Widodo, who said that the third debate was more interpersonal, not the substance of the vision and mission of each presidential candidate.

"Yes, maybe (too personal) if the president's assessment. I don't," said Mahfud.