Oversight Board to Follow Up on KPK Leadership's Ethics Report Regarding Yaqut's House Arrest

The Corruption Eradication Commission Oversight Board (Dewas KPK) has stated that it will follow up on several public complaints regarding the change in detention status for the suspect in the alleged hajj quota corruption case, who is also the former Minister of Religious Affairs for the 2020-2024 period, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, some time ago.

The complaints submitted by various elements of society since Wednesday, 25 March, primarily question the legal and ethical basis behind the decision to change Yaqut’s detention status from the State Detention Centre (Rutan) to house arrest.

The KPK Oversight Board has received and disposed of every incoming complaint for follow-up since Monday, 30 March. The KPK Oversight Board claims it will handle these complaints in accordance with applicable provisions and standard operating procedures (POB).

“We greatly appreciate the public’s role in overseeing the enforcement of law at the KPK. We will continue to monitor the handling of this case, particularly from an ethical perspective,” said KPK Oversight Board Chairman Gusrizal, quoted from the KPK website on Wednesday (1/4).

Gusrizal stated that his side is committed to not slackening in carrying out its oversight function. The KPK Oversight Board, he explained, will continue to monitor every stage of the hajj quota case handling, particularly from the ethical and behavioural aspects of KPK personnel, to ensure there is no abuse of authority in the future.

He also invited the public to continue monitoring and providing constructive input to the KPK.

“The independence and integrity of the KPK can only be maintained if the checks and balances mechanism between the KPK internally and the public runs harmoniously for the sake of justice in Indonesia,” he emphasised.

Based on records from CNNIndonesia.com, there are two complaints received by the KPK Oversight Board that question the change in detention status for suspect Yaqut during the Eid al-Fitr period.

The first complaint was filed by the Coordinator of the Indonesian Anti-Corruption Society (MAKI), Boyamin Saiman, on Wednesday (25/3), followed by the Central Executive Board (DPP) of the Islamic Brotherhood Advocates, represented by Aziz Yanuar, on Friday (27/3).

Aziz is also the lawyer for the defendant in the alleged extortion and gratification case, who is also the former Deputy Minister of Manpower of the Republic of Indonesia, Immanuel Ebenezer, who is currently testing legal consistency by applying for house arrest to the panel of judges at the Central Jakarta District Court.

For Yaqut, the KPK has just extended the detention period for 40 days against the individual.

KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo said that investigators still need time to complete the hajj quota case file with suspect Yaqut and his Special Staff named Ishfah Abidal Aziz alias Gus Alex.

“Today, investigators carried out the first detention extension for suspect YCQ [Yaqut Cholil Qoumas]. After the first 20-day detention, today an extension for the next 40 days is being carried out,” said KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo at his office in Jakarta on Tuesday (31/3).

In the ongoing process, investigators will seek statements from several witnesses and carry out other coercive measures such as searches and seizures of evidence.

“Indeed, investigators still need time to gather additional statements to complete this investigation file, so that it can later be ready for stage two to enter prosecution,” he explained.

“Including in this investigation, investigators are also still focused on summoning PIHK (Special Hajj Organisers) or Hajj Organising Bureaus,” he added.

Based on calculations by the audit team of the Financial Audit Board (BPK) of the Republic of Indonesia, the alleged hajj quota corruption case for 2023-2024 is suspected to have caused state financial losses of Rp622 billion.

In the ongoing investigation process, the KPK has found more than 300 hajj and umrah travel agents in almost all regions in Indonesia receiving quotas that were pre-arranged.

Budi assured that investigators will strive as much as possible to recover state assets lost due to the unlawful acts of the suspects in the corruption case.

“Moreover, the investigators’ focus is on how to optimise assets or asset recovery. If we look at the BPK’s calculation results, the state financial loss value reaches more than Rp600 billion. Of course, this also becomes a focus for investigators so that asset recovery from this case can also be optimal,” he emphasised.

In addition to Yaqut and Ishfah who have been detained, the KPK on Monday (30/3) yesterday just announced two new suspects.

They are the Operational Director of PT Makassar Toraja (Maktour), Ismail Adham, and the Commissioner of PT Raudah Eksati Utama as well as the General Chairman of the Kesthuri Association, Asrul Azis Taba.

Ismail and Asrul are charged with violating Article 2 paragraph (1) and or Article 3 of the Corruption Eradication Law (UU Tipikor) juncto Article 55 paragraph (1) first of the Criminal Code or as referred to in Article 603 or Article 604 of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code juncto Article 20 letter (c) of the Criminal Code Law.

Ismail and Asrul are suspected of playing an active role in arranging the filling of additional special hajj quotas that did not comply with statutory regulations, as well as providing a sum of money to state organisers in this case, a number of officials in the Ministry of Religious Affairs.