Surya Paloh: Indonesia Remains on the Board of Peace, Unless Re-Evaluated

Jakarta, Kompas.com - The General Chairman of Nasdem Party, Surya Paloh, said Indonesia remains a member of the Board of Peace (BoP) amid rising regional tensions in the Middle East. Paloh spoke after attending a courtesy gathering with President Prabowo Subianto and several former presidents and senior party figures at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta on Tuesday night, 3 March 2026.

‘As of today, perhaps we are still in that position,’ Paloh said after the meeting. ‘Unless there is development with several other countries later, to re-evaluate the meaning of Indonesia’s membership on the Board of Peace with several other countries,’ he added.

In the meeting, President Prabowo was also said to explain the reasons and background for Indonesia joining the Board of Peace. Paloh also revealed that former presidents and other leaders present gave speeches and their views. The two former presidents who attended were the 7th President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) and the 6th President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (SBY). However, he did not reveal the views expressed by other figures at the meeting. ‘Earlier, the president led the discussion, although there were some remarks and good ideas from Jokowi, SBY, and several others,’ Paloh said. ‘Not very detailed. It was probably just a friendly discussion,’ he continued. ‘That we reaffirm how to maintain independent and active foreign policy, and the strong sympathy and empathy for the Palestinian people’s struggle was reiterated,’ he explained.