Big Question Mark Over KPK Granting Special Treatment to Yaqut

The KPK’s decision to shift the status of former Minister of Religious Affairs (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas from detention in a police cell to house arrest has raised significant questions. This change was made a few days before Eid al-Fitr. Yaqut himself expressed gratitude for being able to meet his parents during the Eid celebrations. He stated that the KPK made the change based on a request from his family. Yaqut’s house arrest status then drew responses. Subsequently, the KPK returned Yaqut to the police cell on Tuesday (24/3), after he had been under house arrest since Thursday (19/3). “Alhamdulillah, I was able to pay my respects to my mother, to my dear mother,” said Yaqut upon arriving at the KPK building to resume detention in the police cell, on Tuesday morning (24/3/2026). Former KPK investigators and organisations have questioned the KPK’s approval of Yaqut’s request. The KPK is seen as providing special treatment. Former KPK Investigator Warns About KPK’s Image Former KPK investigator Yudi Purnomo Harahap regrets the uproar over the house arrest shift for Yaqut. Yudi believes the KPK’s image has already been tarnished in the public’s eyes, even though Yaqut has now been returned to the police cell. “Even though the KPK ultimately revoked the house arrest status and returned Yaqut to the police cell, the rice has already become porridge; condemnations against the KPK are rampant in the news and social media, which is certainly dangerous for the KPK’s efforts to restore their image so that they are trusted again by the public,” Yudi told reporters on Tuesday (24/3/2026). Yudi views corruption as an extraordinary crime, so placing a corruptor in a police cell is part of the deterrent effect. He said that when the KPK detains someone, investigators must already be confident that the case will soon be handed over to the court. “Whatever answer the KPK gives will no longer be heeded by the public, so the KPK, having realised its mistake, must accelerate the Hajj quota case to be brought to court so that the public can transparently see the results of the KPK’s work in that case,” he said. He stated that the KPK should implement a moratorium that such detention shifts will not be done again in the future and will return to rejecting all requests from detained suspects. Yudi also believes that investigating the house arrest shift for Yaqut is not difficult if the KPK’s Supervisory Board (Dewas) wants to do it. “Actually, it’s not difficult if Dewas, as the supervisory body, wants to be proactive in investigating why this detention shift happened and who is responsible, because the key lies with the investigators, the director of investigations, the deputy for enforcement, and the KPK leadership; just summon them to get a complete picture of why that decision was made,” said Yudi. “Thus, in this case, Dewas’s capacity is not to interfere with law enforcement substantively because they cannot enter there, but into the irregularities of the process, as an improvement so that similar incidents do not recur because Dewas’s function is to safeguard the institution’s reputation and the proper direction of corruption eradication,” he added. MAKI Considers KPK Treating Yaqut as a Special Person MAKI Coordinator Boyamin Saiman sent ‘satirical’ banners of appreciation certificates to the KPK building regarding the house arrest shift for Yaqut. The banner read a record for the house arrest of a special person. “Today I am sending five banners of appreciation certificates to the KPK. Congratulations on breaking the record, namely the house arrest shift from MORI, Museum of Real Indonesian People. Special person,” said Boyamin Saiman to reporters on Tuesday (24/3). Boyamin said the appreciation certificates are hoped to serve as a reminder for the KPK. He brought up the KPK’s step to shift Yaqut’s status to house arrest, which drew criticism from the public. “And that is also as a reminder to the KPK not to toy with the public’s feelings like that. The public is too smart; it’s not just MAKI. Just check, is there any social media that supports the KPK’s actions? None. The comments on the news are also none,” he said. He stated that this shift is a record broken by the KPK since 2003. He said shifts are usually done in the form of release due to illness. “Well, if then someone who was detained and healthy is shifted to house arrest, this raises discrimination and damages the system. Because everyone will ask for the same thing, and also from the most important side, Gus Alex who was also detained in the same case, was not shifted either,” he said. “Thus, with lies and sneaking around, it makes the people even more annoyed and angry. And I implement that anger in the form of giving certificates in the form of banners that they have broken the record,” he added. Furthermore, Boyamin decided to still send the appreciation banners even though Yaqut has returned to the police cell today. For information, Yaqut has resumed detention in the KPK police cell as of today after being under house arrest a few days ago. “Even though YCQ is back in the KPK police cell, the banner is still needed because the house arrest shift incident for YCQ has happened, so it is meant as a reminder for the KPK not to repeat unnecessary blunders that damage corruption eradication in the future,” he said. KPK’s Response The KPK responded to MAKI’s action. The KPK views the sent appreciation positively as a form of public expression. “The KPK sees this as a form of public expression that we accept positively. As a law enforcement institution, the KPK is always open to various constructive criticisms, suggestions, and inputs in efforts to eradicate corruption,” said KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo to reporters on Tuesday (24/3). Budi considers what MAKI did as a reflection of the high public attention. He said public participation is an important element in maintaining an institution’s integrity, including the KPK. “We see this also reflects the high attention, expectations, and trust of the public in the law enforcement process carried out