InfoSAWIT, JEMBER - In a significant academic event, Prof. Ermanto Fahamsyah was officially inaugurated as a Professor in Economic Law at the Faculty of Law, University of Jember, on Saturday, July 5, 2025. However, his inaugural speech transcended mere academic formalities. At the university podium, Prof. Ermanto delivered a profound reflection on legal justice in the national strategic sector of palm oil.

"Why did I choose palm oil?" Prof. Ermanto began his address. "Because this sector is a cornerstone of the national economy and a locomotive for rural development. Yet, behind the glittering figures of foreign exchange lies an irony that cannot be ignored—inequality, deforestation, agrarian conflicts, and the marginalization of smallholders."

For him, law is not merely a tool for social control. More than that, law serves as an instrument for social engineering, as articulated by Roscoe Pound. In the context of Indonesia's palm oil sector, law must become a tool for transformation towards a fair, ecological, and sustainable system.

In his presentation, Prof. Ermanto highlighted regulatory disharmony as the root of many issues in national palm oil governance. Despite the sector's significant contribution to foreign exchange and employment, the legal framework governing it remains fragmented across various sectors: forestry, agrarian, environmental, and trade.

"There is no single regulatory framework that integrates palm oil governance from upstream to downstream," he stated, as reported by InfoSAWIT from his inaugural speech. "As a result, overlaps, inter-agency conflicts, and legal uncertainties hinder business actors and harm the community."

Prof. Ermanto argued that this regulatory dissonance not only creates legal ambiguities but also opens avenues for administrative, political, and structural deviations. "When norms are not synchronized, implementation becomes biased, and law enforcement loses direction," he explained.

The issue of regulation, he noted, cannot be separated from institutional fragmentation. The multitude of ministries and agencies issuing policies without coordination leads to partial governance of palm oil, often resulting in conflicts.

"Sectoral regulations reflect fragmented institutions," he asserted. Therefore, the way forward is not just to draft new laws but to harmonize the legal framework comprehensively and reorganize the institutional architecture of the palm oil sector.

He called for the establishment of a coherent, integrative, and progressive legal framework—not only to resolve legal issues but also to create space for ecological and social justice, including for marginalized smallholders.

A Quintet of Ideas: From Dissertation to Professorial Address

Prof. Ermanto's ideas are not the result of a fleeting reflection. He described his inaugural address as the culmination of a "Quintet of Scientific Ideas"—five major works he has developed since 2013.

Beginning with his doctoral dissertation examining the partnership model of Core People's Companies (PIR) in Banten, he proposed a symbiotic relationship approach between companies and farmers. This model became the foundation of his thinking in formulating an inclusive legal framework for palm oil.

In 2017, he published an article titled "Dynamics of Law in the Formation of the Palm Oil Bill," advocating for the necessity of an umbrella law for the sector. Subsequently, he authored the books "Plantation Law" (2018) and "Plantation Law: Dynamics and Developments in Indonesia" (2021). Now, in 2025, he concludes this series with a speech titled "Strengthening the Legal System of Palm Oil in Indonesia."

"This is not just an academic work," Prof. Ermanto stated. "It is a commitment to science and a national calling."

In closing, Prof. Ermanto emphasized the importance of making law a bridge for social justice. Not merely a tool for control, but a medium to redesign the relationship between the state, the market, and the people—especially in managing strategic natural resources like palm oil.

"We must move away from fragmented and bureaucratic legal approaches. What we need is the courage to unify visions, build national consensus, and draft laws that favor ecological, social, and economic justice," he asserted.

For Prof. Ermanto, his appointment as a professor is not an endpoint but rather the beginning of a greater responsibility: to make legal science a tool for liberation, not limitation. "If the law does not deliver justice, then it has failed to fulfill its function," he concluded. (T2)