KPK Oversight Board Follows Up on Complaints Regarding Transfer of Yaqut's Detention Status

The Oversight Board of the Corruption Eradication Commission (Dewas KPK) has stated that it is following up on several public complaints regarding the change in detention status of the suspect in the alleged Hajj quota corruption case, who is also the former Minister of Religious Affairs, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, which occurred some time ago. The follow-up process for these public complaints is being carried out in accordance with the applicable provisions and standard operating procedures. “We greatly appreciate the public’s role in overseeing the enforcement of law at the KPK,” said the Chairman of Dewas KPK, Gusrizal, in a statement confirmed in Jakarta on Wednesday. Gusrizal explained that Dewas KPK had previously received complaints from the public since 25 March 2026. These complaints, he said, questioned the legal and ethical basis behind the decision to change Yaqut’s detention status from state detention centre (rutan) to house arrest. Furthermore, he stated that Dewas KPK has received and disposed of every incoming complaint to follow them up as quickly as possible since 30 March 2026. Meanwhile, he said that Dewas KPK is committed to not slackening its oversight function, so it will continue to monitor every stage of handling the Hajj quota case, particularly from the perspective of ethics and the behaviour of KPK personnel to ensure there is no abuse of authority in the future. Therefore, he said that Dewas KPK invites the public to continue overseeing and providing constructive input to the anti-corruption institution. According to him, the independence and integrity of the KPK can only be maintained if the mutual checking or check and balance mechanism between the KPK internally and the public runs harmoniously for the sake of justice in Indonesia. Previously, on 9 August 2025, the KPK began investigating the alleged corruption case related to Indonesia’s Hajj quota for 2023–2024. On 9 January 2026, the KPK announced Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, the former Minister of Religious Affairs, and Ishfah Abidal Aziz alias Gus Alex, as Yaqut’s special staff, as suspects in the case. Meanwhile, Fuad Hasan Masyhur, the owner of the Maktour Hajj organising bureau, was not named as a suspect, although he was once banned from leaving the country. On 27 February 2026, the KPK announced that it had received an audit from the Financial Audit Board (BPK) of the Republic of Indonesia regarding state financial losses due to the Hajj quota case. Then, on 4 March 2026, the KPK announced that the state financial losses due to the case amounted to Rp622 billion. On 12 March 2026, the KPK detained Yaqut Cholil at the KPK’s Red White Building Branch State Detention Centre. Then, on 17 March 2026, the KPK detained Gus Alex at the KPK’s Central Anti-Corruption Education Building Branch Detention Centre. On the same date, Yaqut Cholil’s family requested the KPK to allow the former Minister of Religious Affairs to be under house arrest. The KPK then granted that request, and Yaqut has been under house arrest since 19 March 2026. On 23 March 2026, the KPK announced that it was processing the transfer of Yaqut Cholil’s detention from house arrest back to detention centre. On 24 March 2026, Yaqut officially became a detainee at the KPK Detention Centre. On 30 March 2026, the KPK announced two new suspects in the case. They are Ismail Adham, the Operational Director of Maktour, and Asrul Aziz Taba, the General Chairman of the Indonesian Hajj and Umrah Tour Travel Unity (Kesthuri).