KPK Oversight Board Clarifies Complainant on Complaint Regarding Transfer of Yaqut's Detention
The KPK Oversight Board (Dewas KPK) has begun examining a report alleging ethical violations by KPK leaders and others regarding the transfer of detention for the suspect in the alleged 2023-2024 Hajj quota corruption case, who is also the former Minister of Religious Affairs of Indonesia, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas.
Today, Dewas KPK clarified with the complainant, Marselinus Edwin Hardhian, as the General Chairman of the Indonesian People’s Alliance for Justice and Welfare (ARRUKI).
“Today I came as the complainant or reporter to be asked for clarification on what bases made us report this [transfer of Yaqut’s detention]. We have already explained that this report was made based on several grounds,” said Edwin at the Anti-Corruption Education Centre Building, Jakarta, on Thursday (15/4).
According to Edwin, the KPK was not open or transparent when transferring Yaqut’s detention from the State Detention Centre (Rutan) to house arrest. He suspects a violation of Article 5 letter b of the KPK Law.
“Well, it was not conveyed openly because the public learned from the wife of one of the detainees, and secondly, the KPK Spokesperson [Budi Prasetyo] himself stated that the reason for approving the transfer of detention was a request from the family,” he said.
“But then that statement differed, as conveyed by the KPK Deputy for Enforcement [Asep Guntur Rahayu], who said the reason was health-related,” he continued.
That difference in opinions is the issue that Edwin brought to Dewas KPK.
“This means there is a suspicion of dishonesty and lack of openness in providing information to the public because the information varies. So, the public did not receive direct information, and when it was provided, the information differed,” he said.
The second point is the reason the KPK transferred the detention related to the investigation strategy. Edwin requested honest information from KPK officials regarding that.
“We have conveyed to Dewas KPK what kind of investigation strategy was used in this case [Hajj quota], because in our opinion, the investigation strategy must yield results,” he explained.
Based on these two reasons, Edwin believes there was an abuse of authority by several KPK officials. For that, he brought the matter to Dewas KPK.
“Our report was well received, and the response from Dewas is that as soon as possible, Dewas will conduct a deepening, especially on the part I mentioned earlier; the investigation strategy. Is the transfer of Yaqut’s detention truly part of the investigation strategy?” he said.
Besides ARRUKI, the ethical report against several KPK officials regarding the transfer of Yaqut’s detention was also reported by the Coordinator of the Indonesian Anti-Corruption Society (MAKI), Boyamin Saiman, on Wednesday (25/3), followed by the Central Executive Board (DPP) of the Islamic Brotherhood Advocates, represented by Aziz Yanuar, on Friday (27/3).
After becoming a public polemic, the KPK has again detained Yaqut. Another suspect, Yaqut’s Special Staff named Ishfah Abidal Aziz alias Gus Alex, has also become a suspect and been detained.
Besides Yaqut and Ishfah, the KPK at the end of last March announced two new suspects.
They are the Operational Director of PT Makassar Toraja (Maktour), Ismail Adham, and the Commissioner of PT Raudah Eksati Utama as well as the General Chairman of the Kesthuri Association, Asrul Azis Taba.
Ismail and Asrul are suspected of violating Article 2 paragraph (1) or Article 3 of the Corruption Eradication Law (UU Tipikor) in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) first of the Criminal Code or as meant in Article 603 or Article 604 of Law Number 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code in conjunction with Article 20 letter (c) of the KPK Law.
Ismail and Asrul are alleged to have actively arranged the filling of additional special Hajj quotas that did not comply with legal regulations, as well as providing a sum of money to state officials, in this case, several officials at the Ministry of Religious Affairs.