Yusril: Law Cannot Be Separated from Human Life

Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Corrections Yusril Ihza Mahendra stated that law can never truly be separated from human life. Yusril asserted that law always exists between power and freedom, between economic interests and justice, and between the state and its citizens. “Therefore, law must not merely become a technical language of power, an instrument of market legitimation, or simply a procedure devoid of the spirit of justice,” Yusril said in Jakarta on Wednesday. The statement was delivered by Yusril at the 23rd Annual Conference of the Asian Law Institute (ASLI) at the University of Indonesia in Depok, West Java, on Thursday (4/6). He also stressed the importance of just and sustainable law, capable of addressing challenges through strengthened regional cooperation. Yusril expressed appreciation to the Asian Law Institute and the Faculty of Law at the University of Indonesia for organising the conference. According to him, over its two-day duration, the conference was not only 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 carried the theme ‘Empowering Asia’s Rise: Legal Knowledge for Sustainability, Justice and Regional Integration’. Yusril said the theme is relevant to the challenges facing the Asian region today, particularly in ensuring that development proceeds hand-in-hand with environmental sustainability, the protection of human dignity, and regional cooperation. “Asia possesses a rich history and tradition of law. Before modern Western law arrived, Asian societies had already established norms, customs, religious laws, royal laws, commercial laws, and dispute resolution mechanisms,” he said. On the other hand, he also highlighted three main issues that were the focus of the conference: sustainability, justice, and regional integration. On the issue of sustainability, Yusril said the law must be able to bridge the development needs of today and the safety of future generations. He opined that development remains necessary because society needs energy, food, jobs, housing, education, healthcare, infrastructure, and technology. Furthermore, on the issue of justice, he stressed that a legal system cannot be judged solely by the completeness of its rules, procedures, and institutions because the law must provide tangible benefits to society, especially for groups that have long struggled to gain access to justice. The former Minister of State Secretary also touched on the challenges faced by Indonesia as a rule-of-law state with extraordinary diversity. He noted that Indonesia consists of thousands of islands, hundreds of ethnic groups, numerous religions and beliefs, and various legal systems that coexist, ranging from national law, regional law, and customary law to religious law and international law. Therefore, Yusril said Asia does not need to fully copy the legal integration model of 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 nations,” he said. Accordingly, he advised young academics and students not to view legal knowledge merely as a technical ability. In addition, he also encouraged young law graduates not only to master articles and procedures but also to be able to read social change, understand technological developments, handle cross-border legal issues, and maintain a sensitivity to justice. Yusril said the greatest challenge today is not the absence of law, but the proliferation of regulations without an accompanying increase in substantive justice. He stressed that regulations, institutions, and procedures can continue to develop, but legal protection is not necessarily felt by the public. Hence, he emphasised the importance of building a law that is not only institutionally strong but also trusted by the public, possesses integrity, is wise, and is capable of delivering tangible justice. The 23rd ASLI Annual Conference took place over two days, from 3–4 June 2026. The forum brought together academics, practitioners, researchers, and stakeholders in the legal field from various countries across Asia.