Indonesia says no to $1.28b fee for Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ seat

JAKARTA – Indonesia’s president, under fire at home for signing up to US counterpart Donald Trump’s so-called “Board of Peace”, has insisted his country would not pay the US$1 billion (S$1.28 billion) joining fee for permanent membership.

Jakarta had only committed peacekeeping troops for the initiative, Mr Prabowo Subianto said in a statement published on the presidential YouTube channel on March 22.

The “Board of Peace” came together after the Trump administration, teaming up with Qatar and Egypt, negotiated a ceasefire in October to halt two years of devastating war in Gaza.

Countries that want to be permanent members must pay US$1 billion – sparking criticism the board could become a “pay-to-play” version of the UN Security Council.

Mr Prabowo, a former general, has come under criticism from Indonesian Muslim groups for joining the board and pledging to send 8,000 peacekeeping troops to Gaza.

Mr Prabowo attended the inaugural meeting of the “Board of Peace” in Washington in February.

But he later said he would withdraw from the board if it does not bring benefits to Palestinians or align with Indonesia’s national interests.

“We never said that we wanted to contribute US$1 billion,” Mr Prabowo said in statements broadcast on his YouTube channel on March 22.

He said he did not make any financial commitments “at all”.

Mr Prabowo signed a tariff deal with the US in February, but insisted on March 22 that Indonesia could withdraw from any agreement if its conditions or execution threatens the national interest.

Talks with Washington about any peacekeeping mission to Gaza have been put “on hold”, according to state news agency Antara, citing Foreign Ministry spokesman Vahd Nabyl Achmad Mulachela. AFP