GAM Manaf stated that when he graduated from high school, he signed up to join the
Indonesian National Armed Forces, but failed and instead went to
Malaysia to sign up as a GAM fighter, this time passing. In 1986, Manaf left for
Libya, where he received combat training with other GAM members. Following the death of GAM commander
Abdullah Syafi'i in 2002 during combat with
Indonesian Army soldiers, Muzakir Manaf became the commander of GAM's central command. Following the Helsinki agreement, Manaf went out of hiding and entered public view for the first time, and began serving as the chairman of the Aceh Transition Committee (). Later on, he was one of the co-founders of the Self-Sufficient Aceh Movement Party ( or
Partai GAM, later renamed to just
Aceh Party following complaints from the central government) and became its first chairman.
Provincial government In
Aceh's 2012 gubernatorial election, Manaf ran as the running mate of fellow GAM member
Zaini Abdullah and the pair won the election, with Manaf being sworn in as Vice Governor on 4 June 2012. Manaf was still popular with former GAM combatants even after his election. In one occasion, militant leader
Din Minimi, who led an armed group in
East Aceh, refused to be brought to
Jakarta or
Banda Aceh unless Manaf was to meet him first. He ran again in the
2017 gubernatorial election, this time as a gubernatorial candidate. However, he was defeated by former governor
Irwandi Yusuf. Initially, though, Manaf's campaign team also claimed victory and refused to accept the results. At the national level, he joined
Gerindra, a party of his former wartime adversary
Prabowo Subianto, in 2013. It took Prabowo six months to contemplate about his membership and he once tried to reject it due to his status as the chairman of
Aceh Party, but Manaf explained he wanted prosperity for Aceh and through Gerindra he may achieve it. Hearing his strong determination, Prabowo then approved his entry.
2024 elections On 26 December 2023, Manaf declared his support for
Prabowo Subianto and
Gibran Rakabuming Raka for president and vice president despite the opposing background of the two. After the pair won, Manaf was rumored to join Prabowo's cabinet which Manaf then said he chose to run for governor rather than be a minister. Manaf also revealed that he had once asked for 2 ministerial seats and 2 ambassadorships for the
Aceh Party but as Aceh voted heavily for
Anies Baswedan during the election, Manaf eventually did not pursue the matter. the pair defeated in the election, and was sworn in as governor on 12 February 2025. ==References==