Sometimes, I felt conflicting interests while embarking on official visits to regions as a coordinating minister because locals there often greeted me as the vice presidential candidate.
Mahfud MD has said that he decided to step down from the coordinating minister of political, legal, and security affairs post to prevent any conflict of interest since he is also the running mate of presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo.
Mahfud submitted his resignation to President Joko Widodo on Thursday, days after hinting at his intention to resign three months after becoming a vice presidential candidate.
“Sometimes, I felt conflicting interests while embarking on official visits to regions as a coordinating minister because locals there often greeted me as the vice presidential candidate. I felt uneasy by this, and I should stop touring regions as a coordinating minister,” he stated during a roll call in the ministry’s complex here on Friday.
He added that such instances made him aware that a conflict of interest would be inevitable, and this prompted his decision to resign from office.
Mahfud also highlighted his tight campaigning schedule, which forced him to constantly apply for leave, as another factor that led to his decision to resign.
He said he was confident that he did not violate any regulations during his vice presidential campaign while continuing to serve in the cabinet.
“When I applied for leave every week for my campaign, I felt uneasy. I was also not using office facilities except those embedded on me as an official, for example, my adjutant,” he added.
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He then urged ministry officials to maintain their neutrality by not publicly disclosing their political preferences, even if they support his vice presidential bid.
“Perhaps some of you aligned with me, but you should not publicly endorse, campaign, or wear clothes (to show support for me) because you are state apparatus,” he told ministry officials during the roll call.
He then expressed his gratitude to ministry officials for maintaining their neutrality during the time he was continuing to work as a coordinating minister while campaigning for the upcoming elections.
“They are professional and refrain themselves from being involved in politics. I know there are intelligence agents (monitoring us) in various places, and because everyone is neutral here, there is no intervention here,” he said.
Mahfud also reminded officials to continue working professionally, including by not meeting him while working in an official capacity.
“If you are in an assignment in any region (which I also visit), do not meet me. You are government officials while I am a politician, a vice presidential candidate, hence, do not meet me. Continue your good work, maintain Indonesia properly,” he emphasized. (INE)
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