Two ministers in 7th President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s second term of cabinet, Nadiem Anwar Makarim and Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, appeared before the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Thursday, Aug. 7, 2025 for questioning in two separate high-profile corruption cases that occurred during their respective tenures.

Nadiem, who served as Minister of Education, Culture, Research, and Technology for 2019 until 2024, is being questioned over the procurement of Google Cloud services, which were part of the ministry’s digitalization efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Yaqut, former Minister of Religious Affairs, is being asked to clarify matters surrounding the distribution of additional haj quotas in 2024, a sensitive issue involving religious pilgrimage management and allegations of favoritism or mismanagement.

Both cases come at a sensitive political juncture, as Indonesia enters the early months of President Prabowo Subianto’s administration, with heightened scrutiny of past cabinet members from Jokowi’s government.

While the KPK has not named any suspects in either case, the presence of two former ministers within the same week has drawn public and political attention, reviving discussions about transparency, oversight, and accountability in Indonesia’s public sector.

Nadiem arrived at the KPK building at 9:18 a.m., accompanied by high-profile lawyer Hotman Paris Hutapea. Dressed in a yellow shirt, the former minister did not provide any comment to the waiting press.

He greeted journalists with a smile before proceeding directly to the reception desk, and then headed alone to the upper floors for questioning.

Hotman briefly addressed the media outside the building, stating, “As per the Criminal Procedure Code (KUHAP), during clarification, legal counsel is not allowed to accompany [the witness]. No comment on the substance for now,” he told reporters.

Sources confirmed that Nadiem’s summons relates to an ongoing KPK investigation into the procurement and management of cloud-based software and data storage systems, which were vital to implementing the education ministry’s digital learning initiatives.

A day prior, the KPK also questioned executives from GoTo Gojek Tokopedia, a company Nadiem co-founded, as part of the broader probe.

In late July, Nadiem’s former special staffer Fiona Handayani was also questioned regarding the same case, indicating a deepening investigation into procurement irregularities during the COVID-19-era shift to online education.

Yaqut inquiry

Shortly after Nadiem’s arrival, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas arrived at 9:29 a.m., wearing a brown shirt and accompanied by aides. He confirmed to reporters that he was called in to provide clarification related to the 2024 haj quota distribution.

“I’ve been asked to clarify the distribution of haj quotas,” Yaqut said briefly before heading into the building for questioning.

He declined to comment on whether there had been political pressure influencing the case, asserting that aspects of the case were classified as case material and therefore could not be publicly discussed.

Yaqut’s spokesperson, Anna Hasbie, told reporters that Yaqut’s attendance reflected his “good faith and respect for the legal process.” She acknowledged that the process of managing haj quotas was complex and bound by regulations.

“Haj quota distribution is quite complicated, and it requires comprehensive clarification. It was carried out according to existing laws and involves a long process,” Anna said.

Yaqut’s case appears to center on the allocation of additional pilgrimage slots, which were reportedly influenced by lobbying from haj associations and travel agencies.

On Tuesday, Director General of Haj and Umrah, Hilman Latief, was also questioned as KPK investigators delve into whether proper procedures were followed in managing the quota and approving requests from private entities.

Anna declined to go into detail, citing legal boundaries. “Any questions about lobbying or requests from associations are already part of the investigation. We can’t comment on that,” she said.