Top 3: Minister of Religious Affairs Takes OSO's Private Jet; Ramadan Commencement Ruling
A number of articles on Tempo's National channel became the most popular stories of the day. They covered former President Joko Widodo's role in the revision of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) law, Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar boarding a private jet belonging to Oesman Sapta Odang (OSO), and the determination of the start of Ramadan 2026.
The following is a summary of the most popular stories on Tuesday, 17 February 2025:
**1. DPR Reveals Jokowi's Role in KPK Law Revision**
Members of the House of Representatives' Commission III were incensed after former President Jokowi declared that the revision of Law No. 19 of 2019 on the KPK was a DPR initiative. Commission III member Nasyirul Falah Amru said Jokowi's statement was nothing more than an attempt to deflect responsibility, when in fact Jokowi as president at the time played a direct role in deliberations.
"There was a presidential letter dated 11 September 2019," Falah said in a written statement on Monday, 16 February 2026.
In that letter, he explained, Jokowi issued instructions tasking the Minister of Law and Human Rights and the Minister of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform as government representatives in deliberating the KPK law revision with the DPR.
Furthermore, Falah said that on 17 September 2019, during the decision-making phase, the government — represented by the law minister — stated that the president agreed to the KPK law revision.
"So it is quite absurd for Jokowi to then claim this revision was a DPR initiative. It is like passing a hot potato," said the PDIP politician.
Jokowi's role in undermining the KPK was also documented in a Tempo report titled "The Corruption Eradication Council" published on 7 September 2019. One month before the KPK law revision was enacted, Jokowi criticised the intensity of sting operations (OTT) carried out by the KPK.
According to him, the intensive sting operations were ineffective because Indonesia's corruption perception index had only risen by one rank from the previous year. Jokowi argued that the success of anti-corruption efforts should not be measured solely by the number of cases brought or individuals imprisoned.
"It must also be measured by how many potential legal violations can be prevented and how much potential state loss can be averted," Jokowi said on 16 August 2019.
Jokowi's statement was interpreted by the DPR as a signal of approval to proceed with the revision of the anti-graft commission's law.
The KPK law revision, carried out based on a 2019 agreement between the DPR and the government, ultimately weakened the KPK's independence. For instance, the KPK was placed under the executive branch. Additionally, KPK employees were converted to civil servant status.
**2. Minister of Religious Affairs Takes OSO's Private Jet to Takalar**
Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar boarded a private jet belonging to Oesman Sapta Odang (OSO) to attend the inauguration of the Balai Sarkiah Building in Takalar Regency, South Sulawesi, on Sunday, 15 February 2026. The Grand Imam of Istiqlal Mosque attended at the invitation of OSO, who serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the OSO Education Foundation.
Head of the Ministry of Religious Affairs' Public Relations and Communications Bureau, Thobib Al Asyhar, said OSO had prepared his private jet to bring Nasaruddin to the inauguration venue.
"OSO took the initiative to prepare his private jet for the Minister so he could attend given his packed schedule," Thobib Al Asyhar said in Jakarta on Monday, 16 February 2026, as quoted from the Ministry of Religious Affairs' official website.
Thobib stated that all transport for Nasaruddin's journey was arranged by the event organiser. Regarding the private jet facility, Tempo had contacted OSO, but he had not yet responded to Tempo's messages.
The Balai Sarkiah Building, located in Sabintang sub-district, is projected to become a new epicentre for religious and social activities in South Sulawesi. The building will serve as a public empowerment centre.
**3. Government Determines Ramadan Begins Thursday, 19 February 2026**
The government has determined that the beginning of Ramadan 1447 Hijriah, or 2026, falls on Thursday, 19 February 2026. The reason is that the position of the crescent moon (hilal) across Indonesian territory on Tuesday, 17 February 2026 did not meet the MABIMS criteria.
"It has been agreed that 1 Ramadan 1447 H falls on Thursday, 19 February 2026," said Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar after holding the isbat session at Hotel Borobudur, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday, 17 February 2026.
He explained that the government uses the MABIMS criteria to determine the start of Ramadan. MABIMS — standing for the Ministers of Religious Affairs of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore — is a hilal visibility standard that sets a minimum crescent moon altitude of 3 degrees above the horizon and a minimum elongation angle (angular distance between the moon and sun) of 6.4 degrees at sunset.
On 17 February 2026, the hilal altitude across Indonesian territory ranged from minus 2.41 degrees to minus 0.93 degrees, with an elongation angle between 0.94 degrees and 1.89 degrees. Nasaruddin said the hilal position and elongation in Indonesia did not reach the minimum threshold.
Member of the Ministry of Religious Affairs' Hisab Rukyat Team, Cecep Nurwendaya, had previously said the start of Ramadan 1447 H/2026 coincides with Thursday Pahing, 19 February 2026. He said the hilal position across Indonesian territory on Tuesday, 17 February 2026 did not meet the MABIMS criteria for determining the start of Ramadan.
The following is a summary of the most popular stories on Tuesday, 17 February 2025:
**1. DPR Reveals Jokowi's Role in KPK Law Revision**
Members of the House of Representatives' Commission III were incensed after former President Jokowi declared that the revision of Law No. 19 of 2019 on the KPK was a DPR initiative. Commission III member Nasyirul Falah Amru said Jokowi's statement was nothing more than an attempt to deflect responsibility, when in fact Jokowi as president at the time played a direct role in deliberations.
"There was a presidential letter dated 11 September 2019," Falah said in a written statement on Monday, 16 February 2026.
In that letter, he explained, Jokowi issued instructions tasking the Minister of Law and Human Rights and the Minister of Administrative and Bureaucratic Reform as government representatives in deliberating the KPK law revision with the DPR.
Furthermore, Falah said that on 17 September 2019, during the decision-making phase, the government — represented by the law minister — stated that the president agreed to the KPK law revision.
"So it is quite absurd for Jokowi to then claim this revision was a DPR initiative. It is like passing a hot potato," said the PDIP politician.
Jokowi's role in undermining the KPK was also documented in a Tempo report titled "The Corruption Eradication Council" published on 7 September 2019. One month before the KPK law revision was enacted, Jokowi criticised the intensity of sting operations (OTT) carried out by the KPK.
According to him, the intensive sting operations were ineffective because Indonesia's corruption perception index had only risen by one rank from the previous year. Jokowi argued that the success of anti-corruption efforts should not be measured solely by the number of cases brought or individuals imprisoned.
"It must also be measured by how many potential legal violations can be prevented and how much potential state loss can be averted," Jokowi said on 16 August 2019.
Jokowi's statement was interpreted by the DPR as a signal of approval to proceed with the revision of the anti-graft commission's law.
The KPK law revision, carried out based on a 2019 agreement between the DPR and the government, ultimately weakened the KPK's independence. For instance, the KPK was placed under the executive branch. Additionally, KPK employees were converted to civil servant status.
**2. Minister of Religious Affairs Takes OSO's Private Jet to Takalar**
Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar boarded a private jet belonging to Oesman Sapta Odang (OSO) to attend the inauguration of the Balai Sarkiah Building in Takalar Regency, South Sulawesi, on Sunday, 15 February 2026. The Grand Imam of Istiqlal Mosque attended at the invitation of OSO, who serves as Chair of the Board of Trustees of the OSO Education Foundation.
Head of the Ministry of Religious Affairs' Public Relations and Communications Bureau, Thobib Al Asyhar, said OSO had prepared his private jet to bring Nasaruddin to the inauguration venue.
"OSO took the initiative to prepare his private jet for the Minister so he could attend given his packed schedule," Thobib Al Asyhar said in Jakarta on Monday, 16 February 2026, as quoted from the Ministry of Religious Affairs' official website.
Thobib stated that all transport for Nasaruddin's journey was arranged by the event organiser. Regarding the private jet facility, Tempo had contacted OSO, but he had not yet responded to Tempo's messages.
The Balai Sarkiah Building, located in Sabintang sub-district, is projected to become a new epicentre for religious and social activities in South Sulawesi. The building will serve as a public empowerment centre.
**3. Government Determines Ramadan Begins Thursday, 19 February 2026**
The government has determined that the beginning of Ramadan 1447 Hijriah, or 2026, falls on Thursday, 19 February 2026. The reason is that the position of the crescent moon (hilal) across Indonesian territory on Tuesday, 17 February 2026 did not meet the MABIMS criteria.
"It has been agreed that 1 Ramadan 1447 H falls on Thursday, 19 February 2026," said Minister of Religious Affairs Nasaruddin Umar after holding the isbat session at Hotel Borobudur, Central Jakarta, on Tuesday, 17 February 2026.
He explained that the government uses the MABIMS criteria to determine the start of Ramadan. MABIMS — standing for the Ministers of Religious Affairs of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore — is a hilal visibility standard that sets a minimum crescent moon altitude of 3 degrees above the horizon and a minimum elongation angle (angular distance between the moon and sun) of 6.4 degrees at sunset.
On 17 February 2026, the hilal altitude across Indonesian territory ranged from minus 2.41 degrees to minus 0.93 degrees, with an elongation angle between 0.94 degrees and 1.89 degrees. Nasaruddin said the hilal position and elongation in Indonesia did not reach the minimum threshold.
Member of the Ministry of Religious Affairs' Hisab Rukyat Team, Cecep Nurwendaya, had previously said the start of Ramadan 1447 H/2026 coincides with Thursday Pahing, 19 February 2026. He said the hilal position across Indonesian territory on Tuesday, 17 February 2026 did not meet the MABIMS criteria for determining the start of Ramadan.