RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - An international relations lecturer of the University of Al-Azhar Indonesia, Wildan Faisol, questioned Indonesia's participation in the intergovernmental organization Board of Peace. He suspects that the body formed by U.S. President Donald Trump is merely a symbolic move driven by political motives, rather than humanitarian goals.

"It (Indonesia joining the Board of Peace) seems like transactional diplomacy to reduce, maybe, tariff trade with the USA, and maybe maintain closeness with Donald Trump," he said in a VOI Talk interview on RRI Voice of Indonesia on Friday, 23 January 2026.

Indonesia was initially subjected to a 32% import tariff by the U.S. government last year, which was later reduced to 19%. Meanwhile, Trump and Prabowo are known to have a close relationship, and, as reported by Antara, the Indonesian Embassy in Washington, D.C. confirmed this.

Wildan said that he was disappointed with Indonesia’s decision to join the Board of Peace, especially after Indonesia had secured strategic positions at the United Nations (UN). Recently, Indonesia assumed the presidency of the UN Human Rights Council and became part of the UN Board of Auditors.

"How could ethically Indonesia, after receiving strategic positions in the United Nations, then join an organization that indirectly weakens the United Nations for less than one or two months?" he said.

According to Wildan, Indonesia’s membership in the Board of Peace could provoke negative reactions from the Indonesian public, more than 85% of whom are Muslim according to the country's 2020 census. Although several Muslim-majority countries are also part of the Board of Peace, such as Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey, they are still not sufficient to represent and unite the voices of Muslims worldwide.

"Why? Because it's still not involved Palestinian as a nation, as a sovereign country... The Islamic (world) voice cannot be represented only by Middle East countries, especially when Palestinian is not involved," he said.

Wildan had actually hoped that Indonesia, as one of the representatives of the Global South, could act as a stabilizing force in world politics. He also hoped Indonesia could offer solutions for world peace, particularly in the Palestinian–Israeli conflict.

"We have some positive records before (about) internal conflicts with religion issues, (such as) resolving Aceh and Maluku cases," he said, referring to both the peace accord for Aceh after separatist revolt and the peace process after sectarian conflict in Maluku in the 2000s.

See also:

​Sugiono Calls Board of Peace Concrete Gaza Step

​​Indonesia Urged to Reconsider Membership in Trump’s Gaza Board

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He hopes Indonesia can maximize its role at the United Nations to help realize peace in Palestine. In his view, Indonesia’s opportunities at the UN are greater than those offered by the Board of Peace.

"I think Indonesia already has a positive chance if they use the presidency of the United Nations Human Rights Council. I think Indonesia has more opportunity (to resolve peace) rather than if (Indonesia) uses the Board of Peace," he said.

Indonesia's President Prabowo Subianto has signed the Board of Peace Charter in Davos, Switzerland, on Thursday, 22 January 2026; on the sidelines of the year's World Economic Forum. According to the government, this "reflects Indonesia's strong commitment" to playing an active role in maintaining world order and promoting the peaceful resolution of international conflicts, as mandated by Indonesia's 1945 constitution.