Indonesia Reluctant To Speculate On Issues Of Termination Of Foreign Grants And Loans By Donald Trump's Government

Spokesperson for the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Roy Soemirat. (VOI/AFI)

JAKARTA - Indonesia is reluctant to speculate on the issue of stopping grants and foreign loans from the United States Government, said Spokesperson for the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Roy Soemirat.

The United States will reportedly temporarily suspend international aid after President Donald Trump implemented a tightening of foreign aid as soon as sworn in.

"The Indonesian government will not speculate on any issues that are still a generic statement from the government of other countries that are not specifically addressed to Indonesia," Roy explained in a written statement, Wednesday, January 29.

"Indonesia will only provide responses based on the communication delivered officially, through diplomatic channels or other official channels, which are discussed between government institutions of the two countries," said Roy.

Earlier, President Trump signed an executive order to temporarily suspend foreign aid for 90 days pending an assessment of efficiency and consistency with foreign policy, as soon as he was sworn in on January 20, quoted by Reuters.

"All heads of departments and agencies responsible for the United States foreign development aid program must immediately suspend new obligations and disburse development aid funds," read an executive order signed by President Trump hours after being sworn in for a second term.

Last Friday, the US State Department issued an order to suspend all available foreign aid and halt the provision of new aid temporarily, following President Trump's executive order.

The cable, designed by the State Department's foreign aid office and approved by Foreign Minister Marco Rubio, said there were exceptions for Israel and Egypt, without naming other countries.

The move risks stopping billions of dollars in international aid. Uncle Sam's country is known to be the largest single donor aid globally. In fiscal year 2023, the country disbursed aid of 72 billion US dollars.

"This is crazy," said Jeremy Konyndyk, a former USAID official who is now president of Refugees International. "

"This will kill people. I mean, if it is applied as written in the cable, many people will die," he said.

Meanwhile, a source familiar with discussions in Congress on this said President Trump's orders violated the law.

"This international investment freeze will cause our international partners to seek other funding partners, possible US competitors and enemies, to fill this hole and replace the influence of the United States if this unlawful confiscation continues," the source said without naming.