The Controversial Trail of Gus Miftah: From Claiming Kiai Lineage to Alleged Graft

The name of preacher Miftah Maulana Habiburrahman, widely known as Gus Miftah, has once again come under public scrutiny. This time, his name surfaced during a trial concerning alleged corruption in the double-track railway construction project under the Directorate General of Railways at the Ministry of Transportation. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) stated it will investigate the trial facts suggesting that Gus Miftah allegedly received Rp100 million linked to the project. The allegation emerged during the bribery and gratification trial of the inactive Pati Regent, Sudewo, at the Semarang Corruption Court. KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo asserted that every fact revealed in the trial will be analysed further. ‘It will be investigated further, because every trial fact will certainly be analysed by the public prosecutor,’ Budi Prasetyo said on Tuesday. According to him, witness testimonies will serve as material for consideration in determining whether the case should be expanded. Furthermore, the KPK will also confirm the purpose of the money transfer. ‘Of course, this is also to explain that the flow of funds related to these procurement projects at the Directorate General of Railways did not stop at the main perpetrators, but is also suspected to have flowed to other parties,’ he stressed. Gus Miftah’s name was mentioned by Dheki Martin, a former Commitment Making Officer for the Solo-Semarang Double Track Segment 6 project, while testifying at the Semarang Corruption Court. During the trial, the prosecutor read out the investigation report containing the alleged payment of Rp100 million to Gus Miftah. As of the writing of this report, Gus Miftah has not issued an official response regarding the facts revealed in the trial. Beyond the current case drawing public attention, Gus Miftah has courted controversy several times throughout his career as a preacher. One widely discussed controversy occurred when Gus Miftah claimed to be a ninth-generation descendant of the great Ponorogo cleric, Kiai Ageng Muhammad Besari. In a sermon that went viral on social media, he stated: ‘Coincidentally, I am the ninth-generation descendant of Mbah Muhammad Besari.’