Jakarta. Chief Security Minister Mohammad Mahfud MD was officially announced as the running mate for presidential candidate Ganjar Pranowo on Wednesday, just four months ahead of the upcoming election.

Megawati Soekarnoputri, the chairwoman of the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), made this highly anticipated announcement at the party's headquarters in Jakarta, citing Mahfud's extensive experience in all three branches of government -- legislative, judiciary, and executive.

"He is also known as a highly respected intellectual," Megawati said.

Mahfud, 66, formerly a law professor at the Indonesian Islamic University (UII) in Yogyakarta, served as the defense minister and later as the justice minister in 2000-2001 during the presidency of Abdurrahman Wahid. In 2004, he was elected to the House, and four years later, he became the Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court, a position he held until 2013.

"Professor Mahfud is known to the people as a champion of the rule of law and advocate for marginalized communities. He has consistently become a fair judge in political and business competitions, which are often marred by unfairness. We entrust him with the task of reforming the national justice system for a just cause."

Megawati also noted her personal connection with Mahfud, as both have served in the Agency for the Implementation of Pancasila Ideology (BPIP), a non-ministerial government agency responsible for preserving the state ideology.

This announcement marks a significant moment for Mahfud, as his previous vice presidential candidacy in 2018 was abruptly canceled at the last minute when the PDI-P selected Muslim cleric Ma’ruf Amin as the running mate for President Joko Widodo's reelection campaign. Reports suggested that Mahfud had even undergone preparations, such as a fitting session, before the announcement was canceled due to internal debates within the coalition of political parties.

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