Jakarta – The results of a joint survey show that a majority of Indonesian citizens disagree with Indonesia's foreign policy move to join the Board of Peace (BoP).
The survey was a collaboration funded by three survey institutions, namely the Indonesian Survey Institute (LSI), Indikator Politik Indonesia and Saiful Mujani Research Consulting (SMRC), was conducted from March 12-31 involving 1,066 respondents aged 17 or older or married.
"The majority stated that they either disagreed or strongly disagreed with Indonesia becoming part of the BoP", said Indikator Politik Indonesia's principal researcher, Burhanuddin Muhtadi, in his explanation on Thursday April 2.
In his explanation, Muhtadi said that 41.5 percent of respondents disagreed and 9.4 percent strongly disagreed. When these two responses are added together, the result is 50.9 percent.
Meanwhile, 4.5 percent of respondents strongly agreed and 21.6 percent agreed. Aside from this, 17.2 percent of respondents stated they either agreed or disagreed, and 5.7 percent were undecided.
The survey also asked respondents views on Indonesia's plan to send 8,000 Indonesian troops to the International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza.
The results showed that 36 percent of respondents disagreed and 8.9 percent strongly disagreed, bringing the total to 44.9 percent.
Meanwhile, 28.1 percent of respondents strongly agreed, and 5.7 percent agreed. There were also 16.2 percent who agreed and disagreed, and 5.1 percent who were undecided.
"Those that agreed with the government's policy were around 33-34 percent of respondents, the majority declared that they disagreed although the figure didn't reach 50 percent, but there were still more people who disagreed than agreed", said Muhtadi.
Indonesia's membership in the BoP has drawn public scrutiny. Especially after the United States and Israel launched attacks against Iran on February 28.
Calls for Indonesia to withdraw from the BoP also grew after three Indonesian Military (TNI) soldiers in the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) were killed in an Israeli attack.
"So I [can] imagine if he us under the BoP which is led by American President Donald Trump what it would be like for him. So it is useless if we are in the BoP arena like that", said TB Hasanuddin, a member of the House of Representatives' (DPR) Commission I from the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) faction at the parliamentary complex in Jakarta Wednesday April 1.
The move to join the BoP also coincided with discussion on sending TNI soldiers to Gaza for the ISF operation.
On a separate occasion, Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto stated that Indonesia's presence in the BoP was solely to support Palestinian independence through a two-state solution.
Prabowo made this statement in an exclusive interview with Bloomberg, which was published under the title Prabowo Open to Breach Indonesia Deficit Cap Only During Crisis, as quoted in a statement from the Government Communications Agency on Monday March 16.
"If we are in it (the BoP), we can still influence and work towards a long-term solution, which we believe is an independent Palestine, a two-state solution", Prabowo said.
Nevertheless, Prabowo stated that he is ready to withdraw from the BoP if it is deemed no longer in line with Indonesia's principles.
Meanwhile, regarding the deployment of Indonesian soldiers as ISF troops, Prabowo revealed that the plan to deploy troops has currently been suspended or on hold due to the war between the US and Israel verses Iran.
He emphasised that the plan to send Indonesian peacekeeping troops to Gaza, Palestine, is not to disarm Hamas. He said the mission will focus on protecting civilians amidst the conflict.
"I have pursued the struggle of the Indonesian nation for a long time. We have always defended Palestinian independence. I have always said, in my discussions with Western figures, that we will participate (in the BoP) and we are ready to send peacekeeping troops, as long as I can say that all parties agree with Indonesia's involvement", Prabowo said at the "President Prabowo Answers" event at his residence in Bogor regency, West Java, on Thursday March 19.
83 percent disagree with US-Israel attack on Iran
The same survey also showed that the that the majority of Indonesians disagree with the US-Israel attack on Iran.
"83 percent stated that they disagree with Israel and the United States attacking Iran for whatever reason", said Muhtadi on Thursday.
Muhtadi explained that the 83 percent figure was divided into 60.1 percent who disagreed and 23.0 percent who strongly disagreed.
Meanwhile, the gap between those who strongly agreed was very large, at only 0.2 percent. Similarly, those who agreed was 4.7 percent. "Only 4.9 percent, so very small", he said.
At the same time, Muhtadi explained that the majority of respondents also disagreed with the assassination of several Iranian leaders by the US and Israel because Iran was considered a threat to the region with their nuclear program.
As many as 45.9 percent of respondents disagreed and 9.4 percent strongly disagreed.
The first US-Israeli attack on Iran was launched on February 28. The attack resulted in the death of several Iranian leaders including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Khamenei was succeeded by his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, who was reportedly injured in the series of US and Israeli attacks.
Iran has not remained silent and launched retaliatory attacks on Israel and several US military bases in Gulf states.
Iran also closed the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for oil and gas trade between the Gulf states, triggering a surge in global oil prices. (fra/mnf/fra)
[Slightly abridged translation by James Balowski based on two articles by CNN Indonesia. The original title of the lead article was "Survei: 50,9 Persen Warga Indonesia Tak Sepakat RI Gabung BoP".]
