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PRIME MINISTER Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim has said that political compromise is frequently unavoidable in order to preserve unity and integrity within plural and multi-ethnic nations.
He emphasised that the reality of politics requires tangible and workable solutions, rather than reliance on abstract theories or idealistic assumptions. According to Anwar, politics is never sterile, as it inevitably involves the clash of ideas, interests and competing worldviews.
He said Indonesia’s Coordinating Minister for Legal Affairs, Human Rights, Immigration and Corrections, Prof Dr Yusril Ihza Mahendra, is among the figures who deeply understand these political realities.
“As an expert in the field of law, Yusril understands how the Constitution shapes the structure of the state by emphasising popular sovereignty, democracy and the principle of checks and balances among state institutions,” he said.
Anwar made these remarks in a speech delivered at the launch of eight books marking the 70-year intellectual journey of Prof Dr Yusril Ihza Mahendra, held in Jakarta on Saturday.
The text of the speech was read on his behalf by Malaysia’s Ambassador to Indonesia, Datuk Syed Mohamad Hasrin Tengku Hussin.
The event was also attended by Indonesian Vice President Gibran Rakabuming Raka.
According to Anwar, Yusril’s standing as a political scholar and thinker enables him to appreciate how political dynamics evolve in tandem with social change and shifting geopolitical realities.
“In that context, Yusril places Islam as a set of universal norms and values that can animate and guide the life of the nation and the state,” he said.
Anwar also took the opportunity to extend his congratulations to Yusril on the occasion of his 70th birthday. - February 8, 2026