Former Vice President of Indonesia, Jusuf Kalla (JK), has responded to President Prabowo Subianto’s recent proposal to act as a mediator in the ongoing conflict between Iran, the United States, and Israel. While acknowledging the positive intent behind such an initiative, Kalla promptly highlighted the immense scale and inherent complexities of the issues at play. “Yes, the intention and the plan are certainly good,” Kalla stated from his private residence in South Jakarta on Sunday, March 1st. “However, this situation involves problems that are far more substantial. Even the Palestine-Israel conflict alone proves incredibly difficult, if not impossible, to reconcile, largely because global dynamics are heavily influenced by the nature of America.”
Kalla further articulated his skepticism regarding Indonesia’s potential effectiveness in such high-stakes negotiations, drawing attention to existing disparities in international relations. He noted that Indonesia has unfortunately entered into “unbalanced agreements” that significantly disadvantage the nation, placing it on an unequal footing with a global superpower like the United States. “Given that we are not on par with America, how can one possibly mediate between parties who are so unequal in such critical discussions?” Kalla questioned, underscoring the challenges posed by power imbalances in international diplomacy.
Beyond the diplomatic hurdles, Jusuf Kalla also issued a stark warning about the severe economic repercussions should the Iran-US-Israel conflict escalate. He emphasized that the immediate and most tangible impact would be a sharp increase in global oil prices, a critical concern for both consumers and industries worldwide. Furthermore, the conflict would inevitably cripple essential logistics and supply chains between the Middle East and Indonesia. Kalla cited the distressing example of hundreds of thousands of Indonesian citizens, including tens of thousands performing Umrah pilgrimages, who would face immense difficulty, if not outright inability, to return home due to disrupted travel routes and heightened regional instability.
The former Vice President elaborated on the broader implications for Indonesia’s economy, forecasting significant disruptions to Indonesia’s exports to various nations, particularly to European markets. The pervasive atmosphere of fear and uncertainty stemming from the Middle East conflict would compel nations to adopt defensive postures, thereby hindering international trade and global economic activity. Critically, Kalla noted that Indonesia, being an oil-importing nation that heavily relies on supplies from the Middle East to meet its domestic needs, would face an immediate halt to these vital imports. This cessation would undoubtedly compound economic pressures and underscore the urgent need for regional stability.
Summary
Jusuf Kalla (JK) responded to Prabowo Sub