Yusril Ihza Mahendra: Law is Never Separated from Human Life

JAKARTA - Coordinating Minister for Legal, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra said that law is never really separate from human life.

Yusril emphasized that the law is always between power and freedom, between economic interests and justice, and between the state and citizens.

"Therefore, the law should not only be a technical language of power, an instrument of market legitimacy, or just a procedure without the spirit of justice," said Yusril, as confirmed in Jakarta, Wednesday.

Yusril made the statement at the 23rd Annual Conference of the Asian Law Institute (ASLI) at the University of Indonesia, Depok, West Java, Thursday (4/6).

He also emphasized the importance of just, sustainable laws, and being able to answer challenges through strengthening regional cooperation.

Yusril expressed his appreciation to the Asian Law Institute and the Faculty of Law, University of Indonesia, which had held the conference.

According to him, during the two days of implementation, the conference not only became a gathering place for legal academics from various countries, but also a space for exchanging experiences, ideas, and perspectives on the future of law in Asia.

The 23rd ASLI Conference carries the theme Empowering Asia's Rise: Legal Knowledge for Sustainability, Justice and Regional Integration.

Yusril said the theme was relevant to the challenges currently faced by the Asian region, especially in ensuring that development is in line with environmental sustainability, protection of human dignity, and regional cooperation.

"Asia has a rich history and legal tradition. Before the modern Western law came into being, Asian society had already known norms, customs, religious law, royal law, commercial law, and dispute resolution mechanisms," he said.

On the other hand, he also highlighted three main issues that were the focus of the conference, namely sustainability, justice, and regional integration.

On the issue of sustainability, Yusril said the law must be able to become a bridge between the needs of today's development and the safety of future generations.

Iaberpendapat pembangunan tetap diperlukan karena masyarakat membutuhkan energi, pangan, pekerjaan, perumahan, pendidikan, layanan kesehatan, infrastruktur, dan teknologi.

Furthermore, on the issue of justice, he emphasized that the legal system is not enough to be judged by the completeness of rules, procedures, and institutions because the law must be able to provide real benefits to the community, especially for groups who have difficulty accessing justice.

The former Minister of State Secretary also touched on Indonesia's challenges as a country of law that has extraordinary diversity.

It is said that Indonesia has thousands of islands, hundreds of ethnic groups, many religions and beliefs, and various legal systems that coexist, ranging from national law, regional law, customary law, religious law, to international law.

Therefore, Yusril said Asia did not need to completely imitate the legal integration model such as the European Union.

"Legal cooperation in Asia needs to be built based on the region's own experience, namely gradually, dialogically, and based on trust between countries," he said.

Therefore, he advised young academics and students not to view legal knowledge only as a technical ability.

In addition, he also encouraged young legal scholars not only to master articles and procedures, but also to be able to read social changes, understand technological developments, handle cross-border legal issues, and maintain sensitivity to justice.

Yusril said the biggest challenge today is not the absence of law, but the increase in rules without being followed by an increase in the substance of justice.

It was emphasized that regulations, institutions, and procedures can continue to evolve, but legal protection is not necessarily felt by the community.

Therefore, he emphasized the importance of building a law that is not only strong institutionally, but also trusted by the community, is integral, wise, and able to bring about real justice.

The 23rd ASLI Annual Conference will take place for two days, namely on June 3-4, 2026. The forum brings together academics, practitioners, researchers, and legal stakeholders from various countries in Asia.