KPK Apology Causes Uproar Over Yaqut's House Arrest
The controversy over the transfer of detention for former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas has drawn sharp public scrutiny to the KPK. The KPK has issued an apology for causing the uproar.
Yaqut was known to have been detained as a suspect in the Hajj quota corruption case on Thursday (12/3). A week later, on Thursday (19/3), Yaqut’s detention was transferred to house arrest. Yaqut’s detention status was then changed again by the KPK to rutan detention on Tuesday (24/3).
This change in Yaqut’s detention status has led the public to suspect special treatment from the KPK. However, KPK representatives stated that Yaqut’s detention transfer was part of the investigation strategy.
KPK Apologises
The KPK has expressed regret over the step to change the house arrest status for Yaqut in the 2023-2024 Hajj quota corruption case. The apology was directly conveyed by KPK Deputy for Enforcement and Execution Asep Guntur Rahayu.
“We certainly, on this Eid day, apologise for the existing uproar,” Asep stated to reporters at the Merah Putih Building of the KPK, South Jakarta, as quoted on Friday (27/3/2026).
Asep also claimed that the impact of public reaction had been considered when making former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, or Gus Yaqut, house arrest. The KPK said the house arrest transfer was an institutional decision.
“Of course, in that meeting, the matter was also discussed,” Asep said.
Asep admitted to having directly participated in the meeting to determine the house arrest transfer. He said how the decision-making would be reported to the Supervisory Board (Dewas).
“I attended that meeting, I was one of those in the meeting there. So later, this will be reported to the Dewas. Of course, the Supervisory Board will open up how that decision was made. Just wait,” he said.
Denies Secrecy in Transferring Yaqut’s Detention Status
The KPK also denied that the house arrest transfer for Yaqut Cholil Qoumas was done secretly. The KPK emphasised that the detention status transfer was an institutional decision.
“So far, no. Because it wasn’t done secretly either, as the parties who according to the law must receive notification have been given notification by us,” said KPK Deputy for Enforcement and Execution Asep Guntur Rahayu at the KPK Building, Kuningan, South Jakarta, on Thursday (26/3).
Asep said one of the considerations for transferring Yaqut to house arrest was the investigation strategy to accelerate the handling of this case. He said the parties who should receive notification of the detention transfer had been given it.
“Well, what I conveyed is that it is a strategy related to the investigation, specifically how we can get acceleration in handling this case.
And one of them is public support, of course, which we very much hope for,” Asep said.
Asep emphasised that Yaqut’s house arrest transfer was an institutional decision. He said the detention transfer had also been carried out according to procedure.
“So, regarding that request, of course, it has been done through a meeting or exposition, so it’s not a personal decision, it’s an institutional decision. And of course, considering first the legal norms, whether the legal norms exist or not,” Asep said.
“What I mentioned earlier is that we see the legal norms exist. In the old law, it’s in the KUHAP, specifically KUHAP Law No. 8 of 1981, regulated in articles 22 and 23. In Law No. 20 of 2025 or the new KUHAP, it’s regulated in article 108, there are paragraphs 1 to 11, so that’s the legal norm,” he added.