"I have returned the mandate given to me. I am no longer representing Prabowo-Hatta pair because I have failed," Mahfud said.
Jakarta (ANTARA News) - Chief of campaign team for presidential candidate pair Prabowo Subianto and his running mate Hatta Radjasa, Mahfud MD, said he no longer represented the duo.

"I have returned the mandate given to me. I am no longer representing Prabowo-Hatta pair because I have failed," said Mahfud in the headquarters of Prabowo-Hattas campaign team in East Jakarta on Tuesday.

According to Mahfud, all actions and decisions taken by Prabowo and Hatta henceforth were done on their own behalf.

Presidential candidate Prabowo Subianto here on Tuesday had refused the presidential election process alleging that massive electoral frauds had taken place during the day of the election.

"We are using our constitutional rights, namely refusing the convening of the 2014 presidential election. In connection with this, we have withdrawn from the process," he read a political statement broadcast live by various television stations.

Prabowo said he did not want to sacrifice the peoples mandate in a presidential election riddled with fraud.

"However, we call on the people to remain calm. Trust us that we will not remain silent with the unfair democracy," he said.

Prabowo further asked the witnesses of his camp attending the vote recapitulation process, organized by the General Elections Commission (KPU), to quit the meeting venue.

However, Prabowo again asked his supporters to maintain peace. He also has promised to fight by respecting law and not by violence.

The KPU here on Tuesday is holding the final meeting to recapitulate all votes, which had been counted at the district and provincial levels.

The July 9 presidential election was contested by the Prabowo Subianto-Hatta Radjasa pair and the Joko Widodo-Jusuf Kalla duo.(*)

Editor: Heru Purwanto
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