MAKI Urges KPK Supervisory Board to Investigate Yaqut's House Arrest Status

Indonesia Anti-Corruption Society (MAKI) has urged the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Supervisory Board to intervene and investigate the change in status of former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas to house arrest. The call comes following strong criticism from MAKI coordinator Boyamin Saiman regarding the KPK’s decision to alter the status, which he described as unclear and conducted secretly. “The KPK Supervisory Board must swiftly initiate this process as a suspected breach of the code of ethics without waiting for public complaints,” Boyamin stated on Sunday (22/3). “This is very disappointing, unless it had been announced from the start, in which case there would be no issue. But this was done secretly, and the reason given was additional examinations for other detainees. Yet, he did not return.” According to him, this KPK decision even breaks the MURI record since its founding in 2003. This is because there has never been a transfer of detention status before, let alone done secretly. “This is truly a disappointing stance by the KPK. It has broken a record, done secretly, and not even announced,” he emphasised. MAKI is pressing the KPK to reveal the reasons for granting the status change to house arrest for Yaqut. In Boyamin’s notes, changes in detention status are usually 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 suspension was granted, according to Boyamin, were genuinely in a state of illness. He compared the KPK’s stance towards Yaqut and the late Governor of Papua, Lukas Enembe. According to him, the KPK did not easily grant suspension or medical release to Lukas, who was clearly ill at the time. “When Lukas Enembe was ill and his family requested a transfer of detention status, suspension of detention, or even medical release, it was often revoked back to detention,” he said. “So it was not granted. Therefore, if Yaqut’s reason is not illness, especially since the reason used by the KPK is completely unknown,” Boyamin added. Boyamin also emphasised that the decision to change Yaqut’s detention status could potentially provoke protests from other detainees. “This will also cause systemic damage where other detainees will demand the same thing. If not, it would be discrimination, right,” he added. Moreover, this status change could tarnish the KPK, which has long been associated with the image of an uncompromising institution regarding changes in detention status unless based on strong reasons. “That uncompromising nature became the KPK’s brand. If someone is not detained or their detention is suspended to house arrest, it is because they are truly ill,” he said. “But in Yaqut’s context, he is not ill at all. So the reason used is completely unknown. That’s why I call it a record.” The change in Yaqut’s status to house arrest was learned through the wife of the corruption extortion suspect, former Deputy Minister of Manpower Immanuel Ebenezer Gerungan alias Noel, Silvia Rinita Harefa. Silvia told journalists waiting for her that there was circulating information among the detainees about Yaqut Cholil not being seen in the state detention house or prison. “Earlier, I didn’t see Gus Yaqut. The info is that he left on Thursday night (19/3),” Silvia said on Saturday afternoon (21/3). She continued that she received information that Yaqut was also not seen during the Eid al-Fitr prayer on 21 March 2026.