Former Subordinate Reveals Threats of 'Removal from the Carriage' if Special Staff Orders Not Followed
The former Head of Bureau at the State Islamic University (UIN) Syarif Hidayatullah, Mohammad Ali Irfan, has revealed threats of being ‘removed from the carriage’ if instructions from special staff were not followed during the era of Minister of Religious Affairs (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas. Irfan stated that Yaqut had previously declared that his special staff were his direct representatives.
This testimony was delivered by Ali while serving as a witness in the alleged corruption case involving the 2023-2024 additional Hajj quota at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Tuesday (29/09/2026). The defendants in the case include:
Former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas
Former special staff to Yaqut, Ishfah Abidal Azis, also known as Gus Alex
Chairman of the Kesthuri Association, Asrul Azis Taba
Operational Director of PT Makassar Toraja (Maktour), Ismail Adham.
Initially, Irfan confirmed a meeting held at JCC Senayan in January 202 Nation 4, attended by Yaqut and various Ministry of Religious Affairs officials. Prosecutors questioned Ali Irfan regarding Yaqut’s statement that the special staff acted as his representatives and that anyone failing to follow their orders would be removed from his ‘carriage’.
Irfan confirmed Yaqut’s statement, noting that during a national working meeting, the Minister introduced his entire team of special staff and experts. He noted that while special staff were considered structural officials equivalent to Echelon 1b under BKN and MenPAN regulations, the legal standing of ‘experts’ was less clear, leading to internal regulations being created to formalise their roles.
When asked by prosecutors if the phrase ‘those who do not follow the orders of the special staff will be removed from my carriage’ was indeed used, Irfan replied, “Yes.”
Irfan further detailed a period of job rotation he experienced after refusing a request from one of Yaqut’s special staff regarding a controversial appointment. He recounted how a special staff member approached him with confidential documents from the Personnel Advisory Board (DPK) concerning a disciplinary case involving a Head of a KUA (Office of Religious Affairs) and a staff member. The special staff member requested that the sanctions against the KUA head be annulled so the individual could be appointed to another position.
“As the Secretary of the Inspectorate, a special staff member came to me. He brought complete documents from the DPK regarding a case of immoral conduct… I refused the request because the DPK had proposed heavy sanctions,” Irman stated.
Irfan claimed that within a week of this refusal, he was summoned and rotated to the position of Head of Bureau of Planning and Finance at UIN Syarif Hidayatullah. He expressed his belief that this rotation was a direct consequence of his refusal to comply with the special staff’s demands.
When the prosecutor asked for the identity of the special staff member involved, Irfan identified him as Hasan Sagala.
In this case, former Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas is accused of causing state financial losses amounting to Rp 622,090,076,166.41 (approximately 622 billion Rupiah) in the alleged corruption of the 2023-2024 additional Hajj quota. Prosecutors allege these actions were carried out by Yaqut in conjunction with Asrul Azis Taba, Ishfah Abidal Azis, and Ismail Adham.