March 11, 2026 | 10:38 am
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Indonesian constitutional law expert Mahfud Md has suggested that Indonesia reconsider its membership in the Board of Peace, an international body initiated by Donald Trump, following recent attacks by Israel and the United States on Iran.
Mahfud said the escalation could provide momentum for Indonesia to withdraw from the organization, which includes Israel among its members.
He referred to an earlier statement by Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto, who had indicated that Indonesia could leave the Board of Peace if its participation proved to offer no clear benefits. According to Mahfud, Indonesia would not suffer any significant losses by exiting the body under the current circumstances.
“As long as the government has no hidden political burdens or is not being held hostage, I think it would be easy to withdraw,” Mahfud said on Tuesday, March 10, 2026.
Calls for Indonesia to leave the organization have been voiced since the government first announced its decision to join. Mahfud, a former coordinating minister for political, legal and security affairs, said critics questioned what they see as an imbalance in the organization’s composition and agenda.
“Why is there no representation when it comes to the issue of peace for Palestine? It is impossible to discuss justice without involving the party that will be affected by the decision,” he said.
Mahfud, who previously ran as a vice presidential candidate, also argued that the Board of Peace contradicts the principles of the Bandung Conference, commonly known as the Bandung Principles.
He said the recent attacks by Israel and the United States, along with the absence of Palestine in the organization, run counter to those principles, which emphasize equality among nations, the rejection of colonialism, and the prohibition of aggression between states.
“The Bandung Principles uphold equality among nations. There should be no colonization, no aggression, and every nation has the right to freedom,” Mahfud said.
He also questioned the legal standing of the Board of Peace, noting that the organization was not established under a mandate from the United Nations. According to him, this raises concerns about the legitimacy of the body as an international peace mechanism.
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