After Detaining Yaqut, KPK Reveals Role of Ex-Director General of Ministry of Religious Affairs and Maktour Boss
The Indonesian Anti-Corruption Commission (KPK) has revealed the involvement of Hilman Latief, Director General of Hajj and Umrah Services (PHU) at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, and Fuad Hasan Masyhur, head of travel agency Maktour, in an alleged corruption case concerning hajj quota allocation. This disclosure was made by KPK Deputy for Prosecution and Execution Asep Guntur Rahayu during a press conference on Thursday, 12 March 2026, following the detention of former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qaumas.
Regarding the 2023/1444 Hijri hajj pilgrimage operations, the KPK explained that in May 2023, the Saudi Arabian Government allocated an additional 8,000 hajj quotas to the Indonesian Government. Subsequently, Fuad Hasan Masyhur, in his capacity as Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Forum for Consultation of the Association of Hajj and Umrah Travel Agencies (Sathu) and head of the Maktour travel agency, sent a letter to Yaqut aimed at “maximising the absorption of the additional quota”.
In May 2023, during a meeting of Commission VIII of the Indonesian Parliament with the Minister of Religious Affairs, it was agreed that the additional 2023 quota of 8,000 would be allocated for regular pilgrims. Fuad Hasan subsequently communicated with Hilman Latief, the Director General of Hajj and Umrah Services (PHU), regarding the Forum Sathu’s letter, which stated that the Forum was ready to maximise the absorption of the additional quota.
“Subsequently, Hilman Latief proposed to Yaqut that the Additional Hajj Quota be divided at 92 per cent (regular quota) and 8 per cent (special quota), which differed from the conclusion reached in the parliamentary meeting,” said Asep.
Yaqut then approved the proposal by issuing Ministry of Religious Affairs Decision (KMA) number 467 of 2023 on 19 May 2023 regarding the establishment of additional hajj quotas for 2023, comprising 7,360 quotas for regular pilgrims and 640 for special hajj. At the end of May 2023, a further meeting was held between Commission VIII of the Indonesian Parliament and the Ministry of Religious Affairs, which concluded with approval for the additional 8,000 quotas to be divided into 7,360 for regular hajj and 640 for special hajj.
“Subsequently, a Decision from the Director General of PHU for 2023 was issued,” said Asep.
The letter was drafted by Rizky Fisa Abadi, former Sub-Director of Licensing, Accreditation and Special Hajj Operations Development at the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Asep stated that throughout May-June 2023, Rizky Fisa held meetings with the Association of Special Hajj Operators (PIHK) concerning the absorption of the additional 640 special hajj quotas.
Asep revealed that Rizky Fisa subsequently determined quotas for 54 special hajj operators, allowing them to dispatch pilgrims directly without queuing. Rizky Fisa also provided special treatment to certain operators to fill the additional special hajj quota with accelerated pilgrims (designated as TO or TX, bypassing the waiting list).
“Subsequently, Rizky Fisa instructed his staff to collect acceleration fees from the operators for filling the additional special hajj quota with accelerated pilgrims valued at USD 5,000 or approximately 84.4 million rupiah per pilgrim. One method involved converting visa-exemption hajj pilgrims into special hajj,” said Asep.
Based on KPK investigation findings, Rizky Fisa also distributed the acceleration fees to Yaqut, Gus Alex, and several other officials at the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
In this case, the KPK has designated Yaqut as a suspect alongside former Special Staff to the Religious Affairs Minister Isfan Abidal Aziz (nicknamed Gus Alex). Yaqut is charged with violating Article 2 paragraph (1) and/or Article 3 of Law No. 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption Offences as amended by Law No. 20 of 2001 and Article 55 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.
The KPK has remanded Yaqut in custody for an initial 20 days, from 12 to 31 March 2026. He is being held at the State Detention Centre (Rutan) Branch of the Red and White Building of the KPK.