The Faculty of Law, Universitas Diponegoro, once again held the Undip Global Classroom (UGC) as part of its efforts to strengthen the internationalization of learning and enrich students’ academic perspectives. Held on Monday, April 13, 2026, the event featured Dr. Michael Bjorn Krakat, Senior Lecturer from the School of Law and Governance, Taylor’s University Malaysia, as the keynote speaker, with Willy Naresta Hanum, S.H., M.H. as a discussant.
In the lecture titled “Comparative Legal Issues of Constitutional Law in ASEAN,” the lecturer critically examined the relationship between national constitutional law and ASEAN law as a regional intergovernmental regime. Dr. Krakat emphasized that ASEAN law is essentially a subset of international law with a soft-law character, fundamentally different from the supremacy of constitutional law in national legal systems.
In his presentation, he explained that both Indonesia and Malaysia adhere to a dualistic approach to the relationship between international law and national law. This means that international commitments—including those arising from the ASEAN framework—do not automatically apply directly within domestic legal systems without going through a legislative process. This emphasizes that constitutional sovereignty remains a key principle in both countries.
The subsequent discussion further highlighted that the principle of non-interference enshrined in the ASEAN Charter serves as the primary foundation enabling the harmonious coexistence of regional commitments and national sovereignty. In this regard, unlike the European Union, ASEAN lacks a supranational character that allows regional law to override national law.
However, Dr. Krakat also identified a tendency for “proto-supranational” elements to develop within ASEAN, particularly in economic integration through the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) and in cooperation on the environment and human rights. Despite this, regional law enforcement mechanisms remain relatively weak and heavily dependent on political consensus among member states.
From a constitutional perspective, any potential strengthening of ASEAN’s supranational nature would face significant challenges, particularly because the constitutions of member states—including Indonesia and Malaysia—place the constitution as the supreme law. Therefore, any shift toward a supranational model would require fundamental constitutional changes, which would be politically challenging.
This activity not only provided a comprehensive understanding of the dynamics of ASEAN regional law but also encouraged students to critically examine the direction of developments in Southeast Asian regional integration. The interactive discussion demonstrated participants’ enthusiasm for exploring the possible evolution of ASEAN amidst global challenges such as climate change, economic interdependence, and geopolitical dynamics.
As part of the Faculty of Law, Universitas Diponegoro’s commitment to providing internationally recognized learning standards, the Undip Global Classroom is expected to remain a space for cross-border academic dialogue that enriches scientific perspectives and strengthens students’ analytical capacity to address contemporary legal issues.