Former Minister of Religion Yaqut Indicates Non-Appearance, Anti-Corruption Commission Demands Official Postponement Letter
Former Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas (YCQ) has not appeared at the Red and White Building of the Anti-Corruption Commission (KPK) as of Thursday afternoon (12 March), and the anti-corruption agency is now demanding an official letter regarding the reasons for the suspect’s non-appearance in the alleged hajj quota corruption case.
KPK spokesman Budi Prasetyo stressed that investigators require formal documentation if Yaqut intends to request a rescheduling of his examination. “We are still awaiting an official letter should the suspect be requesting a postponement, naturally including the reasons for the rescheduling request,” Budi stated in a written statement on Thursday (12 March).
Yaqut was scheduled to be questioned as a suspect in the alleged bribery case involving the organisation and distribution of hajj quotas. In this matter, the KPK has also named former Special Staff to the Minister of Religion, Isfan Abidal Aziz (IAA), also known as Gus Alex, as a suspect.
The investigation focuses on allegations of manipulation in the distribution of an additional 20,000 pilgrimage quotas provided by the Saudi Arabian government to expedite the waiting queue. According to regulations, these quotas were to be allocated with 92% for regular hajj and 8% for special hajj. However, investigators discovered evidence that the quotas were instead distributed equally at 50% each. This practice is considered to violate applicable regulations and harm regular hajj pilgrims who had been waiting for an extended period.
To date, the KPK has questioned numerous senior officials within the Ministry of Religion as well as private parties from travel service providers. One witness who has been questioned is Ustaz Khalid Basalamah. The KPK is targeting the completion of case files so that the case can be tried soon.
The Minister of Religion has the authority to determine the allocation of special and regular hajj quotas.
The KPK has rejected claims by former Minister Yaqut regarding safety reasons for the hajj quota distribution. Investigators have seized evidence of money and assets allegedly underlying the transactions.
Yaqut remains unaware of the information investigators wish to question him about. The former Minister stated he only brought a notebook to record the investigators’ questions.
Previously, on 9 August 2025, the KPK announced the launch of an investigation into the hajj quota case.
A single judge at the South Jakarta District Court, Sulistyo Muhamad Dwi Putro, rejected the judicial review petition filed by former Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas against the KPK in the hajj quota corruption case. The status of Yaqut as a suspect in the 622 billion rupiah corruption case has been declared legally valid.