Yaqut Cholil Qoumas

Yaqut Cholil Qoumas (born 4 January 1975) is an Indonesian cleric and politician who currently serves as the Minister of Religious Affairs under Joko Widodo, appointed since 23 December 2020. He previously chaired the Ansor Youth Movement and was a member of the People's Representative Council, both between 2015 and 2020.

Yaqut Cholil Qoumas
24th Minister of Religious Affairs
Assumed office
23 December 2020
PresidentJoko Widodo
Preceded byFachrul Razi
General Chairman of GP Ansor
In office
27 November 2015 – 23 December 2020
Preceded byNusron Wahid
Member of People's Representative Council
In office
27 January 2015 – 23 December 2020
Preceded byMuhammad Hanif Dhakiri
Deputy Regent of Rembang
In office
2005–2010
Preceded byNasirul Mahasin
Succeeded byAbdul Hafidz
Personal details
Born (1975-01-04) 4 January 1975
Rembang, Central Java, Indonesia
Political partyNational Awakening Party
Alma materUniversity of Indonesia

Early life

Yaqut was born in Rembang Regency on 4 January 1975, and completed his basic education there, graduating from public schools. He studied sociology in the University of Indonesia, but did not complete his bachelor's degree. During his time at UI, he founded the Depok branch of the Indonesian Islamic Students Association (PMII), and chaired it between 1996 and 1999.[1]

Career

GP Ansor

After his time in UI, he joined the National Awakening Party, and between 2001 and 2004 he served as the chairman of the party's Rembang branch. He was elected to the municipal legislature following the 2004 elections and the following year he was elected vice-regent of Rembang, where he served until 2010.[2] He ran as a candidate in Rembang's 2010 regency election, but lost.[3]

After the electoral loss, Yaqut was elected as a chair in the Ansor Youth Movement (GP Ansor) in 2011.[2] In the 2014 legislative election, Yaqut ran as a candidate in the Central Java 10th electoral district,[4] but failed to win a seat.[5] On 27 January 2015, Yaqut was appointed as a replacement to Muhammad Hanif Dhakiri in the People's Representative Council, as Dhakiri had been appointed as Minister of Labor and Transmigration in Joko Widodo's cabinet. On 27 November 2015, Yaqut was elected as General Chairman of GP Ansor.[6] He was reelected to the legislature following the 2019 election.[7]

During the 2017 Jakarta gubernatorial election, Yaqut endorsed Basuki Tjahaja Purnama, referring to the Christian governor as the "Sunan" of Kalijodo.[8] Under Yaqut, GP Ansor endorsed Joko Widodo in the 2019 Indonesian presidential election.[9] In September 2019, Yaqut visited Vatican City and met with Pope Francis, where he represented GP Ansor to express the organization's support for the Document on Human Fraternity.[10]

Minister
Yaqut being sworn into office.

On 22 December 2020, it was announced that Yaqut had been appointed as Minister of Religious Affairs in Joko Widodo's Onward Indonesia Cabinet, surprising political analysts which had expected either his brother Yahya Cholil Staquf or Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Agus Maftuh Abegebriel.[11] After he was sworn in on 23 December, he made a statement vowing to protect the rights of Shia and Ahmadiyya communities in Indonesia, which face persecution in Indonesia.[12] He additionally described his intent to prevent the spread of Islamic populism in Indonesia.[13]

References
  1. "Gus Yaqut, Menteri Agama Lulusan SMA dan Pernah Kuliah di UI". Kumparan (in Indonesian). 23 December 2020. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  2. "Profil Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, Ketum GP Ansor yang Jadi Menteri Agama". Kumparan (in Indonesian). 22 December 2020. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  3. "Pilkada Rembang 2010 Dimenangkan Moch Salim dan Abdul Hafidz". Solo Pos (in Indonesian). 22 August 2010. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  4. "DCT Dapil Jawa Tengah X" (in Indonesian). Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  5. "Nama-Nama Anggota DPR RI 2014-2019 Yang Dilantik (1)". Bisnis.com (in Indonesian). 1 October 2014. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  6. "Ini profil Gus Yaqut, Ketum GP Ansor yang baru". Merdeka (in Indonesian). 27 November 2015. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  7. "Daftar Lengkap Nama 77 Caleg yang Lolos ke DPR RI dari Jateng Hasil Pemilu 2019". Tribun Jateng (in Indonesian). 15 May 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  8. "Ketua GP Ansor: Ahok itu Sunan Kalijodo". Merdeka (in Indonesian). 7 April 2017. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  9. "Ansor Tegaskan Dukung Jokowi-KH Ma'ruf di Pilpres 2019". SINDOnews.com (in Indonesian). 2 March 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  10. "GP Anshor expresses support for Pope's world peace document". The Jakarta Post. 27 September 2019. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  11. Arkyasa, Mahinda (22 December 2020). "Yaqut Cholil Qoumas Appointed as Minister; PKB: That is Jokowi's Love for PKB". Tempo. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  12. "New religious affairs minister vows to protect Shia, Ahmadiyah". The Jakarta Post. 25 December 2020. Retrieved 26 December 2020.
  13. "Misi Menag Yaqut: Cegah Populisme Islam Berkembang di RI". CNN Indonesia (in Indonesian). 28 December 2020. Retrieved 28 December 2020.
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