Corruption in Hajj Quota: KPK Seizes Assets Worth Rp100 Billion Including Five Land and Building Parcels

The Indonesian Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has revealed that alleged corruption in the management and distribution of hajj quotas has resulted in state losses of Rp622 billion. As part of asset recovery efforts, investigators have seized valuable assets belonging to the suspects.

Asep Guntur Rahayu, KPK Deputy for Enforcement and Execution, stated that the total value of assets seized to date has exceeded hundreds of billions of rupiah. “In this case, the KPK has also carried out asset seizures reaching a value of more than Rp100 billion,” Asep said at the KPK’s Red and White Building in South Jakarta on Thursday (12 March).

Asep detailed that seized cash consisted of various foreign currencies and rupiah, totalling USD 3.7 million, Rp22 billion, and SAR 16,000. In addition to cash, investigators also seized moveable and immoveable assets. “As well as four vehicles, and five land and building parcels,” Asep stated.

Regarding this case, the KPK has formally detained former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas. The detention applies for the first 20 days and can be extended for further investigation purposes.

In addition to Yaqut, the KPK has also named former Special Staff to the Religious Affairs Minister, Isfan Abidal Aziz, known as Gus Alex, as a suspect. Both are suspected of being involved in the manipulation of the distribution of 20,000 additional hajj quotas provided by the Saudi Arabian government.

According to regulations, the additional quota should have been distributed in a proportion of 92 per cent for regular hajj and 8 per cent for special hajj to reduce the national waiting list. However, the suspects allegedly distributed the quota unlawfully as 50 per cent for each category.

To date, the KPK continues to examine statements from various witnesses, including internal officials from the Religious Affairs Ministry and travel and umrah service providers.