Corruption Commission: Rp84 million per quota collected to accelerate 2023 special pilgrimage
Jakarta — Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) stated that the additional special hajj quota for 2023 (Hijri 1444), charged at USD 5,000 or approximately Rp84 million based on current exchange rates, was collected from each special hajj operator (PIHK).
KPK Deputy for Prosecution and Execution Asep Guntur Rahayu said the acceleration fee was collected by staff of the Head of the Licensing, Accreditation, and Special Hajj Operations Development Sub-directorate at the Ministry of Religion, Rizky Fisa Abadi (RFA).
RFA instructed his staff to collect acceleration fees from PIHK operators for filling the additional special hajj quota slots designated as T0 or TX, valued at USD 5,000 or Rp84 million per pilgrim.
“So there is money that must be paid for the privilege received. Why? Because they don’t have to queue. Even if they do queue, they can bypass others,” Asep said at a press conference in Jakarta on Friday.
The directorate general’s decision followed the Ministry of Religion Decree Number 467 of 2023 concerning the Determination of Additional 2023 Hajj Quota, which was jointly agreed with Commission VIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives.
The additional 2023 hajj quota totalled 8,000, comprising 7,360 for regular hajj and 640 for special hajj.
Between May and June 2023, Rizky Fisa held meetings with special hajj operator associations regarding the absorption of the 640 special hajj quotas.
“RFA then determined the quota for 54 PIHK operators, enabling them to depart directly without queuing. RFA also gave special treatment to certain PIHK operators to fill the additional special hajj quota with T0 or TX special hajj pilgrims. This is where the irregularities began,” he said.
Asep further stated that based on KPK investigation findings, Rizky Fisa provided acceleration benefits for the special hajj to Yaqut, Gus Alex, and several other officials at the Ministry of Religion.
On 11 August 2025, the KPK announced a preliminary calculation of state losses in the case reaching over Rp1 trillion and prevented three individuals from travelling abroad for the next six months.
Those prevented from travelling were Yaqut, Ishfah Abidal Aziz (IAA) alias Gus Alex, who served as Yaqut’s staff, and Fuad Hasan Masyhur, owner of Maktour hajj operator.
On 9 January 2026, the KPK announced that two of the three individuals subject to travel bans became suspects in the alleged hajj quota corruption case: Yaqut and Gus Alex.
However, Yaqut filed a judicial review petition against the suspect determination with the Jakarta South District Court on 10 February 2026, registered as case number 19/Pid.Pra/2026/PN JKT.SEL.
On 19 February 2026, the KPK announced an extension of the travel ban for Yaqut and Gus Alex only, whilst Fuad’s ban was not extended.
On 27 February 2026, the KPK announced it had received an audit from the State Audit Board (BPK) regarding state financial losses resulting from the hajj quota case. Subsequently, on 4 March 2026, the KPK announced that state financial losses from the case totalled Rp622 billion.
On 11 March 2026, a panel of judges at Jakarta South District Court rejected Yaqut’s judicial review petition.
On 12 March 2026, the KPK detained Yaqut at the KPK’s Red and White Building State Detention Centre.