Yasonna Laoly

Yasonna Laoly
Minister of Law and Human Rights
Assumed office
27 October 2014
President Joko Widodo
Preceded by Amir Syamsuddin
Personal details
Born 27 May 1953
Sorkam, Central Tapanuli Regency, North Sumatra, Indonesia
Citizenship Indonesian
Political party Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle
Alma mater University of North Sumatra (S.H.)
Virginia Commonwealth University (M.Sc.)
North Carolina State University (Ph.D.)

Yasonna Hamonangan Laoly, commonly known as Yasonna Laoly, is the current Minister of Law and Human Rights of Indonesia.[1][2] He was a member of the North Sumatra regional legislature from 1999 to 2003, and of the People's Consultative Assembly from 2004 to 2014.[2] He is the first ethnic Nias to hold a cabinet position.[3]

Personal life

Yasonna Laoly is of mixed Nias and Batak heritage. His father was Faogὀ’aro Laoly, a police officer and a native of the remote island of Nias. His father once traded frying oil from Medan to Nias due to the low salary of police officers.[3]

Before studying law at Universitas Sumatera Utara, Yasonna was planning to become a priest.

Yasonna is proud of his Nias heritage, and once wore traditional Nias war dress to an Indonesian independence parade.[4] His selection as a cabinet minister was greeted with enthusiasm by fellow ethnic Nias.[5]

Activism and political career

As a college student, Yasonna became active with the local chapter of Indonesian Christian Students Union, and was also a founder of the Nias Students Association.

After graduation, he worked as lawyer and later joined HKBP Nommensen University as lecturer in its newly established Faculty of Law. From that position, he earned a scholarship to study law abroad, first at Virginia Commonwealth University and later for his doctorate at North Carolina State University.

Following the fall of Suharto in 1998, Yasonna turned to politics, first as a member of North Sumatra Provincial Assembly and later of the People's Representative Council representing the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle. Following the 2014 election of fellow PDI-P member Joko Widodo as president, Laoly was selected as a member of Widodo's Working Cabinet.

As Minister of Law and Human Rights

Yasonna's selection was predicted, as he was considered part of the PDI-P's inner circle. As Minister of Law, his portfolio includes administration of Indonesia's penal and immigration institutions, authoring law proposals, and overseeing political organizations.

In this position, he helped President Joko Widodo draft the Government Law on Mass Organizations (known in Indonesia by its abbreviation, "Perppu Ormas"), which banned Hizbut Tahrir Indonesia (HTI), an organization which seeks to establish a caliphate in Indonesia.[6] The law provoked several demonstrations by HTI's members and sympathizers, and litigation in Constitutional Court of Indonesia.[7]

In response to criticism of overcrowding and poor conditions in prisons, he said the problems were caused by a lack of personnel and high land prices, which hampered construction of new prisons.[8]

References

  1. ↑ Fadli, Minister postpones lease fee increases in Batam. Jakarta Post, 16 November 2016. Accessed 24 November 2016.
  2. 1 2 Official Profile at the Ministry website. Accessed 24 November 2016.
  3. 1 2 ""Yasonna Hamonangan Laoly, Jalan Panjang Menuju Menteri"". Suara Nusantara.
  4. ↑ ""Kenakan Baju Perang Nias di Istana, Yasonna Dapat Sepeda dari Jokowi"". Kompas. 17 August 2017.
  5. ↑ ""Apa Kata Warga Nias Tentang Yasonna H. Laoly Jadi Menteri"". Nias Satu. 27 October 2014.
  6. ↑ ""Kemenkumham Kaji Laporan Ormas Diduga Anti-Pancasila Selain HTI"". Kompas. 3 August 2017.
  7. ↑ "HTI Galang Dukungan Penolakan Perppu Ormas ke Sejumlah Fraksi di DPR". Kompas. 18 July 2017.
  8. ↑ "Yasonna: Perbaikan Lapas Terganjal Anggaran dan Mahalnya Harga Tanah". Kompas. 21 June 2017.
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