Calling Political Party Leaders Like 'controlled Duck', Golkar: Mahfud Made It Up

Deputy Chairman of Commission VIII DPR RI Ace Hasan Syadzily. Photo : Runi/Man

JAKARTA - The Golkar Party responded to the statement of the candidate for vice president (cawapres) number 3, Mohammad Mahfud MD, who said that the leaders of political parties other than their supporters were like 'controlled Duck'. Golkar considered Mahfud's statement to be far-fetched. Chairman of the Golkar Party DPP Ace Hasan Syadzily emphasized that his party's decision to support Prabowo Subianto and Gibran Rakabuming Raka as presidential and vice presidential candidates was based on the party's internal mechanism. "We don't have something like what Mr. Mahfud said, especially frankly, if the Golkar Party is an open party, the party that decides various policies through the mechanism of the national leadership meeting, which at that time was asked for approval from all internal organizations of the Golkar Party and all stated that Prabowo-Gibran's choice was the best choice," said Ace at the DPR building, Tuesday, February 6. Therefore, the Deputy Chairman of Commission VII of the DPR considered that the statement of the former Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs was too far-fetched to call the head of the political parties supporting Prabowo-Gibran a controlled duck. "So our choice is not in the context as stated by Mr. Mahfud, and I think the statement shows that he is too far-fetched," said Ace. Previously, Mahfud denied being a party official in a political contestation in the 2024 General Election. He later mentioned that there were pairs of candidates who participated in the contestation as oligarchic officers or power. He said this refers to a number of information about political parties that are forced to be in a coalition. "But let's see, parties that don't carry us, aren't their party leaders the same as controlled ducks?" Mahfud MD was quoted as saying from the Collis Prof. event, Monday, February 5. However, unlike the supporting political parties, Mahfud assessed that the parties carrying Ganjar Pranowo-Mahfud MD had freedom in the 2024 election contestation process. According to him, the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDIP), the United Development Party (PPP), the Perindo Party, and the Hanura Party do not hold each other hostage in this political support.

"But the others are like ducks holding their necks. Move!" said Mahfud "This (Ganjar-Mahfud MD) is not a party official, this is a constitutional officer. The others are oligarchic officers," he continued.