Promise To Change Higher Education Structure, Mahfud: Now Many Governments Mix

Vice Presidential Candidate number 3, Mahfud MD in the 'Tabrak Prof!' event in Yogyakarta, Monday, February 5 evening. (VOI-Screenshot)

YOGYAKARTA - Vice Presidential Candidate number 3, Mahfud MD promised that candidate pair Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud MD would change the structure of universities in Indonesia if they won the 2024 presidential election. The reason is that currently the campus is widely dictated by the government.

The promise was in response to questions from the public during a question and answer event with Mahfud entitled 'Tabrak Prof!' in Yogyakarta which was broadcast on Instagram Live @mohmahfudmd, Monday, February 5 evening.

"I think in the future, the structure of universities must be rearranged, now the government is mixing too much," said Mahfud.

According to him, universities should be autonomous. In every activity, the campus has its own academic authority.

"Like during the New Order era, even if the big teacher council had a big influence, it was very authoritative. Now it's being dictated by these irregular small children. Okay, we'll fix this later," said Mahfud.

On the same occasion, Mahfud said that academic freedom and the pulpit of academics are important. Intimidation and terror to those who have academic positions and students are strictly prohibited from democracy.

"It is not permissible, for example, for professors to express their views, academically, scientifically, and then terrorized. Operated with operations to frighten professors to express their opinions. It is not allowed," he said.