Former KPK Investigator Regrets Furore Over Yaqut's Detention Transfer: Dangerous for KPK's Image
Former KPK investigator Yudi Purnomo Harahap has expressed regret over the commotion regarding the transfer of house detention for former Minister of Religious Affairs (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas. Yudi believes that the KPK’s image has already been tarnished in the public’s eyes, even though Yaqut has now been returned to detention.
“Even though the KPK has revoked the house detention status and returned Yaqut to the detention centre, the rice has already become porridge; criticism against the KPK is 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 society,” Yudi told reporters on Tuesday (24/3/2026).
Yudi views corruption as an extraordinary crime, so placing corruptors in detention centres 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 from the KPK will no longer be heeded by the public, so the KPK, having realised its mistake, must accelerate the haji 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 stated.
He said the KPK must implement a moratorium that such transfers of detention types will not be carried out again by the KPK in the future and will return to rejecting all requests from detained suspects. Yudi also believes that the investigation into the transfer of Yaqut’s house detention status 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 transfer occurred 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 could be taken,” Yudi said.
“So in this case, Dewas’s capacity is not to interfere with law enforcement substantively because they cannot enter that area, but to address the irregularities in the process, as an improvement so that similar incidents do not recur, because Dewas’s function is to safeguard the institution’s good name and the proper direction of corruption eradication,” he added.
It is known that Yaqut’s detention was switched to house detention since Thursday (19/3). KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo said that house detention for Yaqut was carried out after the KPK received a request from the family.
Yaqut’s detention was returned to detention centre status on Monday (23/3). The KPK has re-detained Yaqut today after he underwent a series of health tests.