Former Constitutional Court Judge Mahfud MD played the losing part in one of the biggest shocks in modern day Indonesian politics — the country believing he was picked as President Joko Widodo’s running mate in next year’s election only to be replaced in the last minute by Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) Chairman Ma’ruf Amin.
Mahfud has been more or less graceful since the VP snub (though he did imply during a televised talkshow last week that Ma’ruf himself put pressure on Jokowi through the media to pick a cleric as a running mate), but he has neither reiterated his allegiance to Jokowi or switched over to back challengers Prabowo Subianto and his running mate Sandiaga Uno.
Mahfud seems keen to remain neutral in next year’s election despite politicians backing both candidate pairs coming out to say that he is in contention to lead their respective campaign teams, which he denied.
“There’s no such offer. There’s not. I don’t know [where that came from],” Mahfud told reporters today, as quoted by CNN Indonesia.
Mahfud added that he’s on the board of directors at the Agency for Pancasila Ideology Education (BPIP), meaning he can’t be involved in practical politics.
“If I’m in anyone’s campaign team, that means I’m not neutral,” he said.
Mahfud not holding a grudge despite the rather embarrassing disappointment of the VP snub is quite commendable. But, given the highly fickle nature of Indonesian politics lately, we wouldn’t be surprised if he, too, has a surprise or two up his sleeve.
