After Meeting Prabowo, Paloh Says Indonesia Remains in the BoP

NasDem chairman Surya Paloh said Indonesia remains on the Board of Peace (BoP) amid rising tensions in the Middle East. He noted that President Prabowo Subianto has not closed the door on reevaluating Indonesia’s membership in the BoP under the current circumstances. ‘To date, perhaps we remain in that position, unless there are developments with several other countries later on, to reevaluate the meaning of Indonesia’s presence in the BoP with other countries,’ Paloh told reporters after a meeting with President Prabowo at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday night (3 March). Paloh said Prabowo also outlined his decision to bring Indonesia into the BoP. ‘He reaffirmed how to maintain an independent and active foreign policy, and the great sympathy and empathy for the Palestinian people’s struggle,’ he added.

That day, Prabowo invited the President and Vice Presidents from the past, former Foreign Ministers, and party chairmen from the Parliament to the Presidential Palace in Jakarta. The meeting discussed the escalation of the war between Iran and the United States and Israel. The talks lasted about four hours, beginning at 19:30 local time and ending around 23:30, with guests gradually leaving.

Earlier, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) stated an official stance condemning the joint strike by the United States and Israel on Iran. MUI urged the government to withdraw Indonesia from the BoP, arguing that the membership of the United States and Israel triggers conflict in the Middle East. ‘Therefore, MUI calls on the Indonesian government to revoke membership in the BoP because it is seen as ineffective in realising true peace in Palestine,’ MUI said.