The initial idea for the establishment of ALSA (ASEAN Law Students' Association) was conceived during the Second Conference of the Indonesian Law Students Association (ISMAHI) held in Minahasa in the year of 1987. The Delegates from Indonesia at that time, which consisted of Firouz Gaffar, Fauzi Bustami, Gita Tiffani, Laode M. Syarif (Students from Faculty of Law Universitas Hasanuddin), and M. Horis Rum. On that occasion, ISMAHI observed that interactions among countries in the Southeast Asian region were growing close rapidly.This development demonstrated that cooperation within the Southeast Asian region was not incidental, but a significant and intentional process among its member states. Two years later, ISMAHI organized the ALSA Conference from May 15th to 20th, 1989 in Jakarta. Concurrently with the conference, the ALSA Establishment Agreement was formally signed by the member associations. ​