Indonesia VP hopeful pledges to stamp out corruption, cut red tape

Mahfud MD threatens to throw graft convicts into prisons where terrorists are held

From left, Ganjar Pranowo, presidential candidate of Indonesia's ruling PDI-P, and his running mate, Mahfud MD, pose for photographs after registering at the election commission headquarters in Jakarta on Oct. 19. © Reuters

AMY CHEW, Contributing writer

December 22, 2023 11:12 JST

KUALA LUMPUR -- Mohammad Mahfud MD, a vice presidential candidate in Indonesia's February elections, wants to take a harder line on corruption and cut bureaucratic red tape to bring in more foreign investment.

Mahfud, 66, the country's chief security minister, is the running mate of former Central Java Gov. Ganjar Pranowo, the presidential candidate from the ruling Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P), the country's largest political party.