MAKI Criticises KPK, Compares Yaqut's House Arrest to Late Lukas Enembe

The Indonesian Anti-Corruption Society (MAKI) has launched a sharp critique against the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) for quietly changing the status of former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas to house arrest.

MAKI coordinator Boyamin Saiman stated that the KPK’s reasons for altering Yaqut’s status were unclear, highly surprising, and disappointing, especially since it was done secretly. Boyamin urged the KPK Supervisory Board to investigate the matter as a suspected breach of ethical codes without waiting for public complaints.

“This should prompt the KPK Supervisory Board to act swiftly on this process as a suspected ethical violation, without needing complaints from the public,” Boyamin told the media on Sunday (22/3).

According to him, this KPK decision even breaks a MURI record since its establishment in 2003. Previously, the KPK had never shifted a detainee’s status, let alone doing so secretly.

“This is very disappointing, unless it was announced from the start, in which case no problem. But this was done secretly, and the reason given was additional examinations for other detainees. Yet he didn’t return. This is truly disappointing conduct from the KPK. It breaks the record, it’s secret, and not even announced,” he explained.

Boyamin compared the KPK’s treatment of Yaqut to that of the late Papua Governor Lukas Enembe. He noted that the KPK did not easily grant suspension or release to Lukas, who was clearly ill at the time.

“When Lukas Enembe was ill and his family pleaded for a change in detention status, suspension of detention, or even medical release, it was often revoked and he was pulled back into custody. So it wasn’t granted. Therefore, for Yaqut, whose reason isn’t illness—and we don’t even know what reason the KPK used,” he said.

MAKI is demanding that the KPK reveal the reasons for approving the change in Yaqut’s status to house arrest. In Boyamin’s records, changes in detention status are typically made for suspects who are ill.

The KPK is even said to have previously rejected suspension of detention for ill or elderly suspects. On the other hand, detainees whose suspensions were granted, according to Boyamin, were genuinely in poor health.

He cited examples of suspension of detention for a suspect in the ASDP cooperation and acquisition case, as well as a case involving a gold businessman in West Kalimantan some time ago.

The KPK, Boyamin continued, has long been associated with the image of an institution that does not compromise on changes to detention status without strong reasons.

“So that uncompromising stance became the KPK’s brand. If someone is not detained or their detention is suspended to house arrest, it’s because they are truly ill. But in Yaqut’s context, he is not ill at all. So we really don’t know what reason was used. That’s why I call it a record,” Boyamin said.

Boyamin stated that the decision to change Yaqut’s detention status also has the potential to provoke protests from other detainees.

“Well, this will also cause systemic damage where other detainees will demand the same thing. If not, it would be discrimination, right,” he added.

Yaqut’s status change to house arrest was initially revealed by the wife of corruption extortion suspect, former Deputy Manpower Minister Immanuel Ebenezer Gerungan alias Noel, Silvia Rinita Harefa.

Silvia shared this in response to journalists’ questions after visiting her husband, who is in KPK custody.

Silvia told the journalists waiting for her that there was information circulating among the detainees about Yaqut Cholil not being seen in the state detention centre or rutan.

“I didn’t see Gus Yaqut earlier. The info is that he left on Thursday (19/3) night,” Silvia said on Saturday (21/3) afternoon.

She continued that she received information that Yaqut was also not seen during the Eid al-Fitr prayers on 21 March 2026.

“People inside say he’s not there. He’s not around,” she said.

When further questioned whether only her husband in the KPK rutan knew this information, she stated that all detainees knew.

“Everyone knows about it. They’re just wondering. They said there was an examination, but it’s unlikely there would be an examination on the eve of Takbiran night. Even up to today (Saturday, 21/3), there isn’t,” she said.

Therefore, she suggested that journalists verify the information she received.

“Just check for more info, colleagues. That’s the info,” she said.