Respect Mahfud Withdraws From Minister, Anies: Ethics Must Be High

Presidential candidate number 1 Anies Baswedan arrives in Ambon, Maluku, Sunday, January 14 evening. (ANTARA-HO-Timnas AMIN)

Presidential candidate (candidate) number 1, Anies Baswedan respects the decision of the vice presidential candidate (cawapres) number 3 Mahfud MD who declared his resignation from the position of Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam).

"Regarding Pak Mahfud, we respect his decision," said Anies in Pamekasan, East Java, Wednesday, January 31.

Anies views Mahfud's move to leave the Indonesia Maju cabinet as the right thing. Because, according to him, the ethics of an official or a candidate for state leadership must be upheld.

"From the beginning, we conveyed that ethics must be upheld. This country can run well if its leadership upholds ethics, respects the rules of the game, and that's what we hope will continue to be implemented," explained Anies.

Vice Presidential Candidate number 3, Mahfud MD stated that he was ready to resign from his position as Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs. The letter has been made, it's just that he is still waiting for time to meet directly with President Joko Widodo (Jokowi).

"Today I have brought a letter to the president, to convey to the president directly about my political future which has recently become a public discussion and this letter will be submitted as soon as I get a schedule to meet the president," Mahfud said in a YouTube broadcast, Wednesday, January 31.

Mahfud said President Jokowi is still out of town. So, he continues to bring the letter if at any time he is summoned to the State Palace, Jakarta.

"As soon as I met him in person, I conveyed this letter," he said.

Mahfud said that he deliberately wanted to submit his resignation letter directly to Jokowi. Because, he wants to uphold ethics.

"I will only submit a letter, just in short with that. I was respectfully appointed, received the appointment with respect, I will say goodbye with great honor to him too," said the former Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court (MK).

"And I will report I'm done. That's all from me," he continued.