Thekabarnews.com—On March 12, 2026, hundreds of members of the Nahdlatul Ulama’s Ansor youth wing (Banser) met outside the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) headquarters in Jakarta. The KPK took Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, the former religious affairs minister at the time and now known as Gus Yaqut, not long after the protests.

People walked to the KPK’s Red and White Building to protest the agency’s decision to arrest Yaqut. This arrest was in connection with a corruption investigation involving the distribution of hajj quotas.

When protesters showed up at the KPK’s front door, things got challenging for a while. People were shaking the fence and yelling things that made it sound like the anti-corruption agency was not fair. At the scientific event, many people shouted, “KPK is unfair!”

In a dramatic act of protest, a Banser member burned a black T-shirt bearing the KPK logo to express anger over Yaqut’s arrest.

The police who were already there quickly moved to protect the area. The police established a security line beyond the entrance barrier to maintain order. Additionally, they did this to prevent any potential altercations.

That day, Yaqut left theKPK headquarters wearing the same orange vest as all the other prisoners. At around 6:45 p.m. local time, police took him out of the building. Additionally, they put him in handcuffs and put him in a car that was waiting outside the lobby to take him to jail.

Before he left, Yaqut talked to reporters for a short time and said that the accusations against him were false.

“I did not get a single rupiah from the case against me. I did everything I could to keep the pilgrims safe,” Yaqut said.

The KPK has named Ishfah Abidal Aziz (IAA), also known as Gus Alex and a former special staff member of Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, as one of the suspects in the case. The other is Yaqut Cholil Qoumas (YCQ), a former minister.

The KPK says that Ishfah Abidal Aziz and Yaqut Cholil Qoumas may have done something wrong in the Religious Affairs Ministry. The alleged wrongdoing may have occurred while they were in charge of planning pilgrimages. It also involves giving out hajj quotas for 2023 to 2024.

Some people support corruption investigations while insisting that courts must remain independent. Others remain unconvinced about the resolution of the issue. These individuals are seeking further clarification regarding the circumstances surrounding the arrest.

The KPK is still ongoing. However, the involvement of famous people and the sensitive issues surrounding the hajj trip will ensure that the matter receives significant public attention. This attention may potentially influence public opinion and the outcomes of the investigations.

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