Law of Indonesia

Module 3

Regional autonomy and legal pluralism: the unitary state and the regions, special autonomy for Aceh, Papua and Yogyakarta, adat and indigenous peoples, Islamic law and the legal system of Aceh

Indonesia is a unitary state, not a federation, yet it is also an archipelago of extraordinary diversity, and its Constitution gives the provinces, regencies and cities the right to manage their own affairs under the principle of regional autonomy. Since the fall of the New Order in 1998, decentralisation has moved many public services to the regions, while certain matters stay with the central government. A few regions have special autonomy: Aceh, with its Islamic criminal regulations, Papua, and Yogyakarta, whose governor is its Sultan. The Constitution also recognises customary communities (masyarakat hukum adat), and the law gives Islamic law a defined place, mainly in family and inheritance matters. For a foreigner, this module answers a practical question: which rules apply in this place, to this person and on this subject?

General education on the law of Indonesia, using invented people and businesses. It states laws and procedures in simplified form and is not legal advice. The law and its practice change, and every case turns on its facts, the region and the authority concerned. It does not offer legal representation or a legal opinion on any case. Consult an Indonesian advocate for any real matter.

This course was written on 5 November 2026. To the best of our knowledge, it describes the law of Indonesia as it stood on that date. Laws change, and we may have missed or misunderstood something. If you notice a change, or have other information, please do not hesitate to contact us: we will review it and update the course. We do not claim to be the final source of the law.