Minister Urges Comprehensive Overhaul of Indonesian Civil Law

KBRN, Surabaya: Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Law, Human Rights, Immigration, and Correction, Yusril Ihza Mahendra, is pushing for a comprehensive national civil law formulation to align with the contemporary legal needs of Indonesian society.

Speaking at the 10th National Conference of the Association of Civil Law Lecturers (APHK) at the Surabaya University in East Java on Tuesday, October 14, 2025,Minister Yusril stressed that the current civil legal framework is outdated and lagging behind rapid societal changes.

The Minister emphasized the significance of the meeting, which brought together academics and practitioners, stating that the current legal system is "far behind" in dealing with continuous societal changes.

While progress has been made in criminal law, such as the completion of the new Criminal Code (KUHP), civil law remains dependent on outdated statutes.

He noted that although numerous laws govern specific sectors like banking, insurance, and business transactions, the parent legal framework still heavily relies on Dutch colonial law. "We are lagging significantly in the field of civil law," Minister Yusril asserted, as quoted by antaranews.com.

To ensure the new national civil law is just and reflects the legal consciousness of the Indonesian people, the Minister stressed the critical need to involve diverse legal thinkers. This includes integrating the principles of Islamic Law and Customary Law, which are deeply ingrained in Indonesian society, alongside the general civil law inherited from the Dutch era.

"The government naturally desires fairness, so all these perspectives need to be gathered to ensure the outcome is in line with the legal consciousness of the people," he explained.

He expressed hope that the APHK conference would generate key ideas to contribute to the government's efforts in formulating this new national law.

Meanwhile, Surabaya University Rector Benny Lianto noted that civil law forms a fundamental basis for society’s legal system and civilization. He agreed that contemporary challenges necessitate a "renewal, a different perspective, and a new approach" to civil law, making the conference highly relevant for modern legal development. ***