Ma'ruf, who was a senior NU cleric before being selected as President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s running mate for the 2019 election, said many senior figures in the country's largest Islamic organization were well qualified for the vice presidency.
Vice President Ma'ruf Amin said on Tuesday that the top three presidential candidates for the 2024 election stood to gain from choosing a Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) figure as a running mate.
Ma'ruf, who was a senior NU cleric before being selected as President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s running mate for the 2019 election, said many senior figures in the country's largest Islamic organization were well qualified for the vice presidency.
"I don't want to propose names, this person or that. But they're all good and capable. I am living proof that [an NU figure] can be a good vice president," Ma'ruf said, as quoted by Antara.
The three highest-polling politicians seeking the presidency in 2024, Central Java Governor Ganjar Pranowo, former Jakarta governor Anies Baswedan and Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto, have yet to pick their running mates.
Among the figures tapped for the vice presidency are State-owned Enterprises (SOEs) Minister Erick Thohir and Tourism and Creative Economy Minister Sandiaga Uno.
President Jokowi has reportedly given his backing for the two politicians to run alongside either Ganjar or Prabowo.
The Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) is reportedly considering choosing an NU figure as Ganjar's running mate. In recent weeks, Ganjar has been touring Central Java and holding meetings with senior NU figures in the province, where the organization holds significant sway.
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