MAKI Writes to DPR Proposing Special Committee on Yaqut's House Arrest Aftermath, KPK Responds
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has responded to a letter sent by the Indonesian Anti-Corruption Society (MAKI) to Commission III of the House of Representatives (DPR) regarding a request to form a working committee (panja) to investigate the controversy surrounding the transfer of detention for former Minister of Religious Affairs (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas. The KPK has positively welcomed the sending of the letter.
“We certainly welcome it and extend our utmost thanks to the Indonesian public, particularly in this case from MAKI, as it is a form of support and concern for us in handling the Hajj quota case,” said Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the KPK, Asep Guntur Rahayu, at the KPK building in Kuningan, South Jakarta, on Thursday (26/3/2026).
Asep expressed thanks to MAKI. He stated that what MAKI has done is a form of support and concern for the KPK.
“Because with that support and attention, the public will be updated on the handling of the case and the steps we are taking,” he said.
Previously, the Indonesian Anti-Corruption Society (MAKI) sent a letter to Commission III of the DPR. The letter contained a request to form a working committee (panja) to investigate the controversy over the transfer of detention for former Minister of Religious Affairs (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas.
MAKI Proposes DPR Panja
MAKI Coordinator Boyamin Saiman assessed that there are several irregularities in Yaqut’s detention transfer that must be investigated through the DPR’s Panja. First, allegations that KPK leadership received and allowed external interventions.
“KPK leadership is alleged to have allowed the KPK to be intervened by external parties in carrying out the house arrest transfer for Suspect YCQ and did not report the intervention to the KPK Supervisory Board,” Boyamin told reporters on Thursday (26/3).
MAKI also highlighted discrepancies in statements from KPK officials regarding Yaqut’s health condition. Boyamin said that the statement from KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo, who claimed the house arrest transfer for Yaqut was not based on health factors, contradicts the statement made by Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the KPK, Asep Guntur Rahayu.
“Deputy for Enforcement KPK Asep Guntur did not conduct health tests and checks through competent doctors in ordering the house arrest transfer for suspect YCQ; in fact, only later did Asep Guntur state that YCQ suffers from GERD and asthma,” Boyamin explained.
MAKI stated that the KPK is alleged to have acted non-transparently in the process of transferring Yaqut’s detention. This is because information about Yaqut becoming a house detainee was not first conveyed by the KPK, but by the wife of one of the other detainees.
“On the other hand, the KPK also engaged in deception and secrecy during the release from detention with the phrase that additional examinations would be conducted, which other detainees found suspicious because it was only two days before Eid,” Boyamin explained.
For these considerations, MAKI urged Commission III of the DPR to form a panja to investigate the controversy over Yaqut’s detention transfer. Boyamin said that the results of the DPR Panja could also be used by the KPK Supervisory Board in determining whether there were ethical violations committed by KPK leadership and investigators.
“Even though YCQ has been returned to the detention centre, the incident of the secretive house arrest transfer and various other deviations have occurred, so a DPR Panja is still needed to fully capture the alleged deviations as well as recommendations for improvements,” Boyamin stated.
As is known, Yaqut has been under house arrest since Thursday (19/3) after being detained in the detention centre on Thursday (12/3). After four days of detention transfer, Yaqut was returned to the KPK Detention Centre on Tuesday (24/3).