Sahroni Says Establishing Working Committee for Yaqut's House Arrest is Not Easy
Deputy Chairman of Commission III of the DPR, Ahmad Sahroni, said that his side will study the proposal for a Working Committee (Panja) to delve into the transfer of detention for former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas to house arrest as a suspect in the KPK corruption case regarding Hajj quotas.
According to Sahroni, establishing a Panja is not straightforward. Because, he said, it must be discussed and agreed upon by all factions in Commission III of the DPR.
“If it’s a Panja, it’s not as simple as saying we’re buying chillies at the market. It requires more comprehensive discussions with all factions,” he said at the parliamentary complex in Jakarta on Monday (30/3).
Nevertheless, Sahroni admitted that his side receives every proposal from outside and will discuss it in the internal meeting of Commission III of the DPR.
“Yes, that’s a proposal, we receive the proposal and it will be discussed in Commission III regarding what was conveyed,” he stated.
The NasDem Party politician said that until now, his side has not received direct confirmation from the KPK regarding the decision to transfer Yaqut’s detention to house arrest ahead of Eid on 21 March.
However, Sahroni urged that the KPK should have clear and firm regulations. For example, every suspect could apply for house arrest if they pay a guarantee to the state.
“Because it shouldn’t lead to people speculating about something. Even if it’s illness, yes, it’s illness, but if it becomes house arrest, people will wonder,” said Sahroni.
The proposal to establish a Panja was previously submitted by the Indonesian Anti-Corruption Society (MAKI) through an official letter sent on 26 March. MAKI Coordinator, Boyamin Saiman, opined that although the Minister of Religious Affairs during President Joko Widodo’s (Jokowi) era has been returned to the detention centre, the case needs to be further examined.
In the letter numbered 16/MAKI/III/2026, MAKI assessed that there was suspicion of special treatment towards the corruption suspect.
“The transfer to house arrest without strong objective reasons has the potential to create the impression of special treatment towards certain suspects,” said Boyamin.
Meanwhile, the KPK stated that the transfer of Yaqut’s detention status from detention centre to house arrest was in accordance with procedures and legal provisions. KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo explained that the transfer followed a request from Yaqut’s family.
The provision is regulated in Article 108 paragraphs 1 and 11 of Law Number 20 of 2025 on the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP).
“The KPK ensures that all processes and steps taken have been carried out in accordance with the mechanisms, procedures, and applicable legal regulations,” said Budi.
The KPK previously transferred Yaqut’s detention status to house arrest on 18 March 2026, or one week after he officially became a KPK detention centre inmate. With that status, Yaqut could spend Eid at home on Saturday (21/3).
The KPK explained that the decision was made after receiving a request from the family on 17 March 2026. The request was then reviewed by investigators before being granted.