President Prabowo Meets Islamic Scholars, Mass Organizations Leaders

Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning Nusron Wahid, who also serves as Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council’s (MUI) Disaster Management Division, and Minister of State Secretary Prasetyo Hadi on a press conference at the Presidential Palace, Central Jakarta, Thursday (03/05).

President Prabowo Subianto on Thursday evening (03/05) hosted a meeting with scholars and leaders of Islamic mass organizations at the Presidential Palace in Jakarta.

During the meeting, President Prabowo outlined the reasons and the lengthy process behind Indonesia’s involvement in the Board of Peace (BoP).

“President Prabowo underscored that Indonesia’s participation in the BoP was not spontaneous, but rather the result of a lengthy process and discussions with several leaders in the Gulf region, who then agreed to join,” Chairman of Muhammadiyah’s Economics, Business, and Halal Industry Division Muhadjir Effendy said.

Muhadjir also said that the President chose the strategy of “struggling from within,” advocating for peace from inside the forum.

“We remain committed to the original goal, which is the creation of two peacefully coexisting states: the independent state of Palestine and Israel,” he said, adding that the BoP’s objective is to establish a Palestinian state in accordance with the points outlined in the agreement, specifically points 19 and 20.

Meanwhile, Minister of Agrarian Affairs and Spatial Planning Nusron Wahid, who also serves as Chairman of the Indonesian Ulema Council’s (MUI) Disaster Management Division, stated that the Government remains open to the public’s views regarding Indonesia’s membership in the forum.

“The Government is not anti-criticism. We listen and consider the situation, but we will prove on the ground that this diplomacy is the best way to achieve peace, not through war,” Nusron said.

Echoing similar sentiment, General Chairman of Nahdlatul Ulama Executive Board (PBNU) Yahya Cholil Staquf also believes that Indonesia’s presence in the forum could serve as a tool to promote de-escalation of the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East, including the tensions between Iran, the United States, and Israel.

“This could become an instrument to make the BoP a platform for promoting de-escalation and peace in the ongoing conflict involving Iran,” Yahya said.

In the meeting, President Prabowo also underlined the importance of maintaining communication and national unity in addressing global dynamics. The dialogue with Islamic scholars and mass organization leaders is expected to strengthen Indonesia’s moral and diplomatic support in advocating for world peace, especially for the independence of Palestine. (BPMI of Presidential Secretariat) (GWH/MMB)