Former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Vows to Expose Corruption in Hajj Quota Case as Trial Looms
Former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, known as Gus Yaqut, has stated he is ready to face trial after the case file for the alleged corruption of the 2023–2024 hajj quota was declared complete, or P21.
Gus Yaqut made the statement after undergoing questioning at the KPK’s Red and White building in Jakarta on Tuesday, 14 July 2026. According to him, the legal process has now entered the trial stage.
“Alhamdulillah, the file reached P21 today and, God willing, we will soon face the trial. So that it becomes clear what is right and what is wrong,” said Gus Yaqut.
Yaqut also assured that he would reveal facts that have not yet come to light once the trial is under way. However, he declined to elaborate further on the matter.
“Whatever has not yet been revealed, we will see at the trial. At the trial, yes, be patient,” he said.
The case ensnaring Yaqut originated from alleged irregularities in the management of additional hajj quotas during the 2023–2024 hajj season.
Together with former Special Staff to the Minister of Religious Affairs Ishfah Abidal Aziz, or Gus Alex, he is suspected of altering the distribution of the additional quota from Saudi Arabia, which should have been allocated at 92 per cent for regular hajj pilgrims and 8 per cent for special hajj.
KPK investigators found evidence suggesting the quota composition was changed to 50 per cent for regular hajj and 50 per cent for special hajj. The policy was allegedly exploited to collect expedited departure fees, or queue-free channels, worth tens of millions of rupiah per pilgrim from a number of Special Hajj Pilgrimage Organisers (PIHK).
In this case, the KPK has detained four suspects: former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, former Special Staff to the Minister of Religious Affairs Ishfah Abidal Aziz alias Gus Alex, Maktour Director Ismail Adham, and Asrul Azis Taba.
The case is alleged to have caused state financial losses of up to Rp622 billion. During the investigation, the KPK also seized assets suspected to derive from criminal acts, comprising millions of US dollars in cash, tens of billions of rupiah, luxury vehicles, and several plots of land with a total value exceeding Rp100 billion.