BPKH Ensures Haj Funds Are Not Managed Under a Ponzi Scheme
Semarang – Acep Riana Jayaprawira, a member of the Board of Executives of the Badan Pengelola Keuangan Haji (BPKH), assured that haj funds managed by BPKH are not handled through a Ponzi scheme or the ‘gali lubang tutup lubang’ practice. He said that funds paid by prospective haj pilgrims are never used to fund other pilgrims’ departures.
Acep explained that a Ponzi scheme typically occurs when funds from new registrants are used to finance the departures of older participants. He cited the problematic umrah travel agency First Travel as an example.
‘Ponzi works like this: someone registers for Haj or Umrah, you don’t know what happens to the money; it runs out, then you recruit new registrants,’ he said during the BPKH Connect event in Semarang, on Wednesday (20 May 2026).
However, he stressed that such conditions do not occur in the management of haj funds by BPKH. ‘BPKH never departs anyone using other pilgrims’ money. The money used to depart is their own money. So there is no case where D’s initial set is used to depart B. I guarantee that,’ he said.
Acep said using the value of haj fund benefits to subsidise haj costs is a government policy agreed with the DPR so that people from middle-to-lower-income groups still have a chance to perform the pilgrimage.
He said around 35 percent of the Biaya Penyelenggaraan Ibadah Haji (BPIH) is currently underpinned by the benefits of haj fund management by BPKH. Meanwhile around 65 percent comes from Biaya Perjalanan Ibadah Haji (Bipih), paid directly by pilgrims. ‘If there were no subsidies as before, perhaps only the wealthy could go on the haj,’ he said.
He explained that from the total benefits amount of around Rp12 trillion, around Rp7 trillion to Rp8 trillion is used to help subsidise pilgrims departing in the current year. The remainder is still distributed to pilgrims on the waiting list.
According to Acep, every pilgrim who has entered the waiting list essentially has a high chance of departing as long as they can settle their own share of the costs. ‘Whoever has their name on the list is almost guaranteed to depart. Unless they cannot settle their portion. There will definitely be subsidies,’ he clarified.
Therefore, BPKH is now promoting a savings programme for prospective pilgrims so that repayment of haj costs does not feel heavy when the departure time arrives.
‘Thus our next programme is saving. So pilgrims should save from now for their repayments,’ Acep said. He also proposed that the certainty of departure be announced earlier so prospective pilgrims have more time to prepare their funds.
‘If possible, announce three or four years in advance that you will depart three years from now. Then you can save from now. Otherwise it would be difficult for pilgrims to settle their payments,’ he said.
In the event, Acep also stressed that BPKH’s primary task is to manage haj funds from deposits to payments in accordance with the wishes of the haj organising committee.
Currently, the funds managed by BPKH total around Rp183 trillion. The funds come from initial deposits of regular pilgrims, special haj, and deposits from prospective pilgrims who have not yet departed. The funds are then managed through two main instruments, namely placements in sharia banks and investments.
Acep explained that a maximum of 30 percent of funds is placed in sharia banking for liquidity and operational needs, while a minimum of 70 percent is invested.
Instruments used include Surat Berharga Syariah Negara (SBSN), gold, direct investments, and other investments that remain based on sharia principles.
Acep said the largest instrument currently used is sovereign sukuk because it is considered to carry very low risk.
‘In risk management theory, government securities carry zero risk,’ he explained.