Cak Imin Calls Prabowo-Gibran Should Imitate Mahfud Resigning From Government Officials

Vice President Muhaimin Iskandar or Cak Imin (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Candidate for vice president number 1, Muhaimin Iskandar (Cak Imin) said that the presidential and vice presidential candidates number 2, Prabowo Subianto-Gibran Rakabuming Raka, should have imitated the steps taken by vice presidential candidate number 3 Mahfud MD to resign as a government official.

Mahfud MD has officially resigned from the position of Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs (Menko Polhukam). Meanwhile, currently Prabowo is still serving as Minister of Defense and Gibran as Mayor of Solo.

According to Cak Imin, resignation from the positions of ministers and mayors is needed to avoid conflicts of interest for the 2024 presidential election contestants.

"I hope everyone who participates in the contestation, especially those who hold the policy of controlling the budget, imitates Mr. Mahfud. It should be (Prabowo and Gibran) like that (resigning from the post of minister and mayor). Should be," said Cak Imin in Jakarta, Thursday, February 1 evening.

However, it is different for him. Cak Imin felt there was no need to resign from his position as Deputy Speaker of the Indonesian House of Representatives. This is because members of the legislature like him do not hold the function of government as policy holders like ministers and mayors.

"I am not a position that has control, so I am not bound. Those who have control, be it as the head of the ministry. If I am the Deputy Chair (DPR) only," said the General Chairperson of the PKB.

Mahfud MD has officially submitted his resignation letter as Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs to President Joko Widodo at the State Palace on Thursday, February 1 afternoon.

Jokowi and Mahfud also had time to talk privately during the process of submitting the resignation letter. Mahfud revealed that one of Jokowi's impressions to him was Mahfud's status as the longest-serving Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs for almost 10 years of Jokowi's administration.

"Pak Jokowi said, 'Pak Mahfud is the longest Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs during my reign'. I continue, 'Yes sir, that's right, sir," said Mahfud at the office of the Coordinating Ministry for Political, Legal and Security Affairs, Jalan Medan Merdeka Barat, Central Jakarta, Thursday, February 1.

During Jokowi's tenure as President of the Republic of Indonesia since 2014, the position of Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs was previously held by Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan for a year and four months, then Wiranto served for about three years and six months, while Mahfud served for about four years and six months.

"Well, for more than 4.5 years it was not because of the reshuffle, but I asked to stop because there was my political agenda," said the candidate for vice president number 3.

Mahfud also revealed that the contents of his resignation letter to Jokowi contained only three paragraphs. The first paragraph, Mahfud, expressed his gratitude to Jokowi who trusted him to take office since October 23, 2019.

The second paragraph, Mahfud explained the reason for withdrawing to Jokowi. "Secondly, because I am now participating in a political contestation to continue the national leadership relay that must continue, I beg you to stop," said Mahfud.

The third paragraph, Mahfud, apologizes to Jokowi if there are shortcomings that are not pleasing to Jokowi while in government.

"He was also happy during the meeting, he joked a lot, I also smiled a lot, was happy, yes like an old friend, lah," concluded Mahfud.