Banser visits KPK amid examination of Yaqut as suspect in hajj quota case
Jakarta — Barisan Ansor Serbaguna (Banser) gathered at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) headquarters as former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas was being questioned as a suspect in an alleged hajj quota corruption case.
“Today we have come to escort our brother and our adviser,” said a speaker at the front courtyard of the KPK’s Red and White Building in Jakarta on Tuesday, arriving around 4:39 PM.
They further stated that they were calling on the KPK to act fairly. If not, they said, Banser would return to the KPK with larger numbers of supporters.
“Yaqut is an adviser to Ansor Banser, friends. If our friend Yaqut is harmed, our blood boils. We will fight to the death,” the speaker said.
Afterwards, more than five buses carrying Banser members drove through the front courtyard of the KPK’s Red and White Building. By 4:55 PM, Banser members continued to crowd the front courtyard of the KPK building.
Earlier, on 9 August 2025, the KPK announced the launch of an investigation into alleged corruption in determining hajj quotas and administering the hajj pilgrimage at the Religious Affairs Ministry in 2023-2024.
On 11 August 2025, the KPK announced that initial calculations of state losses in the case reached over Rp1 trillion and issued travel bans preventing three individuals from travelling abroad for up to six months. The three individuals prevented from travelling were Yaqut, Ishfah Abidal Aziz (IAA), also known as Gus Alex, Yaqut’s staff member, and Fuad Hasan Masyhur, the owner of the hajj tour operator Maktour.
On 9 January 2026, the KPK announced that two of the three individuals subject to travel restrictions became suspects in the alleged hajj quota corruption case: Yaqut and Gus Alex.
However, Yaqut filed a request for a judicial review of his designation as a suspect to the South Jakarta District Court on 10 February 2026, registered under case number 19/Pid.Pra/2026/PN JKT.SEL.
On 19 February 2026, the KPK announced an extension of the international travel ban for only Yaqut and Gus Alex. Fuad’s ban was not extended.
On 27 February 2026, the KPK announced that it had received an audit from the State Audit Board (BPK RI) regarding state financial losses resulting from the hajj quota case. Then, on 4 March 2026, the KPK announced that the state financial losses from the case totalled Rp622 billion.
On 11 March 2026, the judges of South Jakarta District Court rejected Yaqut’s judicial review request.