REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, JAKARTA -- KH Ma'ruf Amin still holds his position as general chairperson of the Indonesian Ulemas Council (MUI). He will leave MUI after he is truly appointed as the Indonesian vice-president, an official remarked.

Chairman of MUI's Advisory Council Din Syamsuddin made the statement here on Wednesday. He said it is impossible to hold concurrent positions if Kiai Ma'ruf later serves as the vice president.

The General Election Commission (KPU) on Thursday (Sept. 20) had decided two presidential-vice presidential candidate pairs for the 2019 presidential race. The two pairs are Joko Widodo (Jokowi), who pairs with Kiai Ma'ruf, and Prabowo Subianto with his running mate Sandiaga Salahuddin Uno.

"Kiai Ma'ruf, who has emerged as the vice-presidential candidate, must leave his position as chairman of MUI if he is later appointed as vice-president," Din said at the MUI office in Jakarta, explaining that if Kiai Ma'ruf becomes the vice president then he should not be concurrently holding a political position.

Din admitted that there was pressure from a number of parties who asked Amin to relinquish his position as head of MUI after the announcement of the presidential-vice presidential decree by the KPU. In addition, he confirmed that the MUI maintained its independence and was neutral regarding the 2019 presidential election.

Earlier, National Mandate Party (PAN) Executive Chairman Yandri Susanto has urged Kiai Ma'ruf to step down from the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) chairmanship post. He remarked that the PAN's call was based on the suggestions of ulemas and people at the grassroots level.

"So far, the chairman of MUI has never been directly involved in politics," Susanto noted at the residence of Gerindra Party presidential hopeful Prabowo Subianto here on Wednesday (Sept 19).

In the 2019 presidential election, presidential and vice presidential pair number 01, Joko Widodo-KH Ma'ruf Amin, will compete with the presidential and vice presidential candidate pair number 02, Prabowo Subianto-Sandiaga Uno.

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