1. Mahfud MD previously served as the Chief Justice of the Constitutional Court of Indonesia, member of the People's Representative Council, Minister of Defense, and Minister of Law and Human Rights.
39 Facts About Mahfud MD
1. 2.
Mahfud MD holds a master's degree in political science and a doctorate in constitutional law from Gadjah Mada University in Yogyakarta.
3.
Mahfud MD has taught constitutional law at the Faculty of Law at the Islamic University of Indonesia in Yogyakarta since 1984, though he has taught in a number of other universities in Indonesia.
4.
Mahfud MD resigned from the DPR upon taking the position, serving until his term ended in April 2013.
5.
Mahfud MD was a vice presidential candidate for 2024 Indonesian presidential election, together with Ganjar Pranowo who ran for president.
6.
Mahfud MD was known by a number of different names throughout his life.
7.
Mohammad Mahfud MD, originally born only as Mohammad Mahfud, was born on 13 May 1957, in a village in Omben District, Sampang, Madura.
8.
Mahfud MD's father was Mahmodin, an employee at the Omben District office, Sampang Regency.
9.
When Mahfud MD was two months old, his family moved to Pamekasan, where Mahfud MD would spend most of his childhood.
10.
Mahfud MD was then sent to the Somber Lagah Islamic Boarding School in Tegangser Laok Village, now known as Pondok Pesantren al-Mardhiyyah, a salafi Islamic boarding school that is managed by Kyai Mardhiyyan.
11.
Mahfud MD's parents enrolled him in the Pamekasan High School.
12.
Mahfud MD was selected to continue his education to the Religious Teacher Education, a leading vocational school belonging to the Ministry of Religion in Yogyakarta.
13.
Mahfud MD then continued his education at the Faculty of Law, the Islamic University of Indonesia.
14.
At the Faculty of Law of the university, Mahfud MD majored in Constitutional Law.
15.
Mahfud MD graduated from the UII in 1983, becoming a lecturer.
16.
Mahfud MD later continued his postgraduate studies in political science, and graduating in 1989.
17.
Mahfud MD graduated from Faculty of Law at UGM in 1993 with a law degree.
18.
Mahfud MD's dissertation describes the causal relationship between political configuration and legal products in various periods, namely the period of Liberal Democracy, Guided Democracy, and the New Order.
19.
Mahfud MD was appointed Minister of Defense by President Abdurrahman Wahid on 23 August 2000.
20.
Mahfud MD held office briefly until Wahid's impeachment by the People's Consultative Assembly a few days later and the Mutual Assistance Cabinet's formation.
21.
In 2004, Mahfud MD ran as a candidate for a seat in the People's Representative Council, as a member of the National Awakening Party.
22.
Mahfud MD ran in the East Java X electoral district, which includes the Lamongan and Gresik regencies.
23.
In 2008, Mahfud MD was elected as a judge of the Constitutional Court, after pocketing 38 votes for members of the Third Commission in the open election.
24.
Mahfud MD resigned from parliament upon taking the position, serving until his term ended in April 2013.
25.
Mahfud MD attracted considerable publicity during his period at the court.
26.
Towards the end of 2012 there was increased speculation about the possibility that Mahfud MD would become a candidate in the 2014 presidential elections in Indonesia.
27.
Mahfud MD was the biggest candidate for vice president on 2019 partnering Joko Widodo, but the decision was cancelled in the last minute.
28.
In October 2019, Mahfud MD was appointed Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal and Security Affairs of Indonesia in Onward Indonesia Cabinet.
29.
Mahfud MD is the first civilian to hold the position, as his predecessors were all from Army or police.
30.
Mahfud MD was criticized during the return of Habib Rizieq, leader of the Islamic Defenders Front, from Saudi that he permitted a mass gathering to welcome Rizieq in airport amid pandemic which eventually leading to criminal prosecutions and deaths of 6 FPI members who were extrajudicially murdered by the police in December 2020.
31.
In October 2023, Mahfud MD was named as the running mate of Ganjar Pranowo, a presidential candidate put forward by the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle, Indonesia's current ruling party.
32.
Mahfud MD acknowledged that, before joining Ganjar in the 2024 presidential campaign, he had been offered the position of running mate for Anies Baswedan by the Prosperous Justice Party.
33.
Mahfud MD was convinced to join the PDI-P because it met the legal requirements to present their presidential-vice-presidential candidate.
34.
Mahfud MD has accused the Indonesian LGBT community of being a front for international organizations; however, he failed to tender evidence in favour of his allegations.
35.
Mahfud MD has made a public statement that 'LGBT ideology' contradicts the religious values in Indonesia and should be resisted.
36.
Mahfud MD's statement has attracted condemnation from Nong Darol Mahmada, a member of the Liberal Islam Network.
37.
In May 2023, in his change of views, Mahfud MD stated that the new criminal code does not ban LGBT nor criminalize same-sex conduct because same-sex conduct between adults are difficult to prove.
38.
Mahfud MD is married to Zaizatun Nihayati, a lawyer and teacher, who studied at the Faculty of Law, of the Islamic University of Indonesia, Yogyakarta.
39.
Mahfud MD is a fan of English Premier League club Manchester United and Liga 1 club Madura United FC.