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Ready to step down, sooner if possible, Ma’ruf quips
Speaking to reporters in Bogor, West Java on Sunday, Ma'ruf also said that he was proud with the government's achievement in the past five years, hoping that it could be the foundation for the work of president-elect Prabowo Subianto.
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President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo (left) and Vice President Ma’ruf Amin wave on June 27, 2019 in Jakarta before Jokowi’s departure to Japan to attend the Group of 20 Osaka summit. The President was reelected to his second five-year on April 17 alongside Ma’ruf, a Muslim cleric and former chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI). (JP/Seto Wardhana)
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ice President Ma’ruf Amin said over the weekend that he was more than ready to retire from politics and joked whether he could step down any sooner than the formal transfer of power as scheduled.
“I have long been waiting for the arrival of Oct. 20. It will be good if we can have it quicker. Can it be expedited?” Ma’ruf quipped, as quoted by Kompas.com.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday in Bogor, West Java, Ma’ruf said he was proud of the government’s achievement over the past five years, and expressed his hope that it would provide a foundation for the incoming administration of president-elect Prabowo Subianto and vice president-elect Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
Ma’ruf, a former chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) who turned 81 this year, steps down as vice president alongside President Joko “Jokowoi” Widodo following the inauguration of Prabowo and Gibran this coming Sunday.
Throughout his term in office, the Muslim cleric has kept a low profile, focusing primarily on policies related to developing a sharia economy.
The Vice President began to take a critical stance on Indonesia’s dynastic politics late last year, especially after Prabowo selected Jokowi’s eldest son Gibran as his running mate for the 2024 election.
In recent months, Ma’ruf has been making subtle comments in public, criticizing corruption and unethical practices in national politics.
