1. Tell us a bit about your background, where you are working and your career path?
My name is Denny Indrayana, born in a small village of Kotabaru in the Laut Island (Pulau Laut), on the Southern part of Kalimantan. I am currently serving as the Professor of Constitutional Law in the Faculty of Law, University of Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. I was Vice Minister of Law and Human Rights of the Republic of Indonesia (2011-2014), under President Yudhoyono’s administration. Before being sworn in as Vice Minister, I was assigned as a Special Advisor for Legal Affairs, Human Rights and Anti-corruption to President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono (2008-2011). From 2006 to 2008, I took a leadership as the Chairman of the Centre for the Study of Anti-Corruption in the Faculty of Law at Gadjah Mada University, and from 2005 to 2006 directed the Indonesian Court Monitoring NGO.
2. What impact did studying in Australia at Melbourne Law School have on your career?
I earned my Ph.D degree in 2005 from the University of Melbourne Law School under the supervision of Prof. Cheryl Saunders and Prof. Tim Lindsey. Under such tremendous academic experiences with them, Melbourne Law School has contributed significant values into my career path development. I learned the value of legal philosophy reasoning – one of the pillar of democracy – which I always have been campaigning. What is more, the richness of law professors and also excellent library resources significantly had been built my critical thinking and academic characters to assist in producing robust and accountable legal policies in my Ministry.
3. What message do you have for our future law graduates?
The knowledge and experience you have obtained from the Melbourne Law School is a great power to create advancement and moreover to aspire other in making the same improvement in order to create betterment in our society. It would be such a fallow when that knowledge does not have any resonance of good message if we are unenthusiastic and pessimistic. To that end, my message to all future law graduates from the Melbourne Law School is to keep enthusiastic in making progress, building network, and spreading virtuous optimistic message to others in creating better and prosperous of our society.
4. In life and or work, who inspires you and why?
In work, I learn many things from President Yudhoyono. Being as the member of His government, President Yudhoyono has been successfully guarding the young democratic society in Indonesia. I am sure in post leadership of President Yudhoyono people would entertain high appreciation for the progressive maturity of democracy that they have cherished. And in live, I owe very much from my Father, my Mother and especially my Wife who always stand beside me in whatever critical situations. They have taught me the value of hardship and also the value of honesty both in life and work environment which most of all based on the religious corridor.
Further about me, please click my CV here.