Parliament Urges KPK to Be Transparent on Controversy Over Yaqut Cholil Qoumas' Detention Status

Members of Commission III of the House of Representatives (DPR RI), Abdullah, have requested that the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) provide a detailed explanation regarding the controversy over the transition of detention for former Minister of Religious Affairs, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, to house arrest. Yaqut is a suspect in the alleged corruption case involving Hajj quotas, which is currently being handled by the anti-corruption agency.

Abdullah assessed that there is a lack of clarity that must be clarified to the public regarding the reasons behind the process of transitioning detention from the Detention Centre (Rutan) to house arrest, which was then quickly reversed back to the Rutan.

“The process of transitioning from Rutan detention to house arrest and back to Rutan detention cannot be sufficiently explained merely because of a request from the family,” Abdullah stressed when contacted in Jakarta on Tuesday (24/3/2024).

He added that the KPK must explain the supervision mechanisms implemented while Yaqut was at his residence as a house detainee. Abdullah reminded that the legal steps taken by the KPK should not merely be reactions to pressure or public scrutiny on social media.

According to him, comprehensive explanations are very necessary so that the notion of “no viral, no justice” that is circulating in society does not gain further strength and damage the image of law enforcement in Indonesia.

In response to the controversy, the KPK’s Deputy for Enforcement and Execution, Asep Guntur Rahayu, provided technical reasons behind Yaqut’s return to state detention. Asep stated that the examination schedule was the main reason for the policy.

“First, because tomorrow there is already a scheduled request for information from the individual in question,” said Asep Guntur at the KPK’s Red and White Building in Jakarta.

This Hajj quota corruption case continues to attract public attention given its impact on religious services for Indonesian society. The DPR hopes that the KPK remains consistent in carrying out legal procedures without giving special treatment to certain suspects to uphold the dignity of corruption criminal law enforcement.