MAKI Criticises KPK over Yaqut's House Arrest: Discrimination
The Indonesian Anti-Corruption Society (MAKI) has strongly criticised the Corruption Eradication Commission’s (KPK) decision to switch former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas’s detention to house arrest. MAKI assessed that the KPK was not transparent in changing Yaqut’s detention status.
“The current issue with the switch to house arrest for Gus Yaqut is very disappointing to all of us. First, there was no announcement,” said MAKI Coordinator Boyamin Saiman to reporters on Sunday (22/3/2026).
Information about Yaqut’s absence from the KPK detention centre was first revealed by the wife of former Deputy Minister of Manpower Immanuel Ebenezer (Noel), Silvia Rinita Harefa, after visiting Noel during the Eid al-Fitr moment on Saturday (21/3).
Silvia received information from her husband that Yaqut had not been seen in the detention centre since Thursday (19/3). The KPK then issued a statement explaining that Yaqut had been placed under house arrest.
“If it hadn’t been leaked by Noel’s wife, it wouldn’t have been known. Meanwhile, the KPK, under the KPK Law, is supposed to be transparent,” explained Boyamin.
Boyamin urged the KPK to be open in explaining the reasons for changing Yaqut’s detention status. He assessed that there was an impression the KPK was covering up the status change, but it ultimately failed because it was leaked by fellow detainees’ families.
“So this is purely about the treatment in detention being announced to the public, meaning being displayed in front with an orange vest and handcuffs, but when it’s switched, it should be announced. What’s more painful is that when it’s not announced, it’s discovered from others, and then they hurriedly confirm it,” explained Boyamin.
“So the impression of covering it up makes the public disappointed,” he added.
Boyamin also highlighted the timing of the change in Yaqut’s detention status to house arrest ahead of Eid al-Fitr. He said this could also provoke public suspicions regarding the granting of house arrest to Yaqut so that the former Minister of Religious Affairs could celebrate Eid outside the detention centre.
“The KPK has never suspended detention or switched detention throughout if not ill. This suddenly not ill and suspended, especially ahead of Eid. So this becomes discrimination; others are detained while Gus Yaqut is switched to house arrest as if for Eid,” stated Boyamin.
He added that the KPK’s treatment differed when handling the request from the family of former Papua Governor Lukas Enembe. Boyamin mentioned that at that time, Enembe’s family asked the KPK not to detain Enembe in the detention centre due to health reasons, but it was rejected by the KPK.
“What’s amusing is the KPK’s reason because there was a request from the family, and Lukas Enembe previously, even though there was a family request, it wasn’t granted, even until he died in detention. Even for someone who’s ill, it wasn’t granted, but this YCQ is perfectly healthy and it’s suspended,” stated Boyamin.
KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo previously stated that Yaqut has been under house arrest since Thursday (19/3). The KPK did not provide clear reasons regarding the change in Yaqut’s detention status. The KPK only stated that house arrest for Yaqut is temporary.
Budi also stated that the switch of Yaqut’s detention to house arrest was not due to health factors. Budi said that house arrest for Yaqut was carried out after the KPK received a request from the family side.
The KPK then granted the request without providing further details on the reasons why Yaqut’s family submitted the request.
“It’s not because of illness. So indeed because there was a request from the family side, then we processed it,” explained Budi.