Yusril Earns Doctorate from UI, Bamsoet Praises Dissertation on Mohammad Natsir

MPR Deputy Speaker Bambang Soesatyo (Bamsoet) has praised Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra for obtaining his Doctorate in Philosophy from the University of Indonesia. He stated that this academic achievement revives a space for discussion regarding the relationship between Islam, democracy, the constitution, and nationhood through in-depth scholarly study. Yusril was declared a graduate after defending his dissertation titled ‘Islam, the State, and Democracy in the Thought of Mohammad Natsir: A Philosophical Study Using a Phenomenological-Existential Hermeneutics Approach’.

Bamsoet conveyed his highest appreciation, noting that the achievement demonstrates how a state official can still make significant contributions to the development of knowledge. He assessed that the dissertation is highly relevant as it offers an academic perspective that Islam, democracy, and the Indonesian nation-state can coexist harmoniously within the framework of Pancasila and the 1945 Constitution. He believes this achievement holds great significance for national life, particularly amidst increasing political polarisation and the rapid flow of digital information that often triggers social fragmentation.

He further stated that the substance of the dissertation has a strong connection to the current dynamics of Indonesian democracy. Mohammad Natsir’s track record proves that Islamic values and democracy can work together to strengthen the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI). One of his greatest contributions was the Integral Motion of 1950, which successfully reunified the country into the NKRI after the period of the United States of Indonesia. Bamsoet added that Natsir’s thinking teaches that religion and democracy need not be opposed, as Islamic values can strengthen political ethics and deepen the quality of democracy. He concluded that Indonesian politics requires more figures like Mohammad Natsir, who prioritised integrity and national interest above short-term political competition.