PIKIRAN RAKYAT – The Minister of the Indonesian Cabinet for President Joko Widodo's "Indonesia Maju" administration, Mahfud MD, is rumored to join Anies Baswedan as his running mate for the 2024 Presidential elections. Anies Baswedan is perceived as the antithesis of President Joko Widodo and is viewed as a political rival to PDIP, the party that supports the current president.
In response to the rumors, the former Chairman of the Constitutional Court stated that Anies Baswedan is like his younger sibling.
"Anies himself is like my younger sibling, dinda and kanda (Indonesian traditional terms for brotherhood). Our relationship goes beyond just our affiliation with the HMI (student organization), and we have had a long-standing connection since Anies was a child. Even his mother still communicates with me through WhatsApp," Mahfud MD said.
He stated that he has no objections to the rumors that the party supporting Anies Baswedan is considering him as the Vice Presidential candidate.
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"Whether I become the Vice Presidential candidate or not is not up to me. It is NasDem's decision. It's their internal matter, and their aspirations cannot be hindered. It's a part of their aspirations, and they should handle it," Mahfud MD added.
However, he emphasized that there needs to be a process agreed upon by the coalition parties to determine the Vice Presidential candidate. This agreement is crucial to maintain the coalition's unity.
"What's important is that they remain united. There are three parties involved, so let them discuss it. But we must ensure that it doesn't cause one party to feel excluded and then break up the coalition," Mahfud MD explained.
He emphasized that maintaining the cohesion of the coalition is crucial as it is a significant asset for the 2024 General Election presidential candidacy. Anies Baswedan, who already has a presidential ticket, is highly reliant on the unity of the parties supporting him.