Mahfud MD: I Have Been Close Friends with Prabowo Since 2013, Had a Warm Discussion Just Yesterday

JAKARTA - Former Coordinating Minister for Political, Legal, and Security Affairs, Mahfud MD, has admitted to being quite close with President Prabowo since 2013. However, he only had his first warm discussion with Prabowo yesterday when the Police Reform Acceleration Commission (KPRP) reported its work at the State Palace on Tuesday (5/5/2026). “Personally, I have the impression that I am quite close or good friends with Mr Prabowo since 2013-2014. We often met, often discussed, but the warmest discussion was yesterday afternoon,” said Mahfud during a press conference in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, on Wednesday (6/5/2026). Mahfud described the meeting atmosphere as relaxed. “His joke was, ‘I dare to discuss with these professors,’ he said. ‘Because I, as Mr Habibie said, am already at professor level, right, already a general.’ That was his joke. It means that the meeting was very relaxed and the discussion went very smoothly,” he stated. He also admitted that the KPRP only received notification on Tuesday morning to immediately meet President Prabowo to report the committee’s work results. The meeting was attended by almost all KPRP members, although two other members, Tito Karnavian and Badrodin Haiti, were still out of town. Mahfud said the report contained various issues developing in society related to the Polri, including criticisms and hopes for the institution to return to the reform track. It is known that Mahfud MD once had an important role in Prabowo Subianto’s campaign team in the 2014 presidential election. At that time, Mahfud MD was appointed as Chairman of the National Campaign Team for Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Rajasa after not running as a presidential candidate. Mahfud MD officially accepted Prabowo’s offer to lead the national campaign team which oversaw the supporting party coalition (Red and White Coalition).