Freshly Returned to Detention, Yaqut Immediately Examined by KPK

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has scheduled an examination of former Indonesian Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, as the suspect in the alleged corruption case concerning the 2023-2024 Hajj quota, on Wednesday (25/3). This marks the first examination following Yaqut’s return to detention at the KPK’s Gedung Merah Putih branch (K4) State Detention House on Monday (23/3), after previously spending Eid at home. “Following the switch back to KPK detention, today the investigators have scheduled an examination of the suspect Mr YCQ [Yaqut Cholil Qoumas],” stated KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo in a written statement on Wednesday (25/3). Budi explained that the examination represents a swift and progressive step by the investigators to promptly complete the investigation file for the Hajj quota case. “Furthermore, the examination in this case is also needed to continue exploring the possibility of other parties who have central roles in the alleged corruption,” Budi clarified. In this case, besides Yaqut, the KPK has already prosecuted his special staff member Ishfah Abidal Aziz, alias Gus Alex, who is also detained at the KPK detention house. Both are charged with violating Article 2 paragraph (1) and/or Article 3 of the Corruption Eradication Law (UU Tipikor) in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) first of the Criminal Code. Case Background In the construction of the Hajj quota case presented by the KPK on Thursday (12/3), this case involves private sector parties. One of those mentioned is Fuad Hasan Masyhur, the President Director of PT Makassar Toraja (Maktour). It is suspected that evidence was also concealed during the KPK’s search of the Hajj and Umrah travel agency’s office. Fuad, as the Advisory Board of the Silaturahmi Forum of Hajj and Umrah Travel Associations (SATHU), is alleged to have “lobbied” the Ministry of Religious Affairs regarding the acceptance of additional 2023-2024 Hajj quotas from the Saudi Arabian Government. For 2023, there was an additional quota of 8,000. Based on the agreement between the DPR and the Ministry of Religious Affairs, this quota was allocated 92 percent for regular Hajj pilgrims (7,360 pilgrims) and 8 percent for special Hajj pilgrims (640 pilgrims). The KPK states there was an acceleration fee from Special Hajj Organisers (PIHK) for filling the additional special Hajj quota that received T0 (newly registered, directly departing) or TX (acceleration, not in queue order) amounting to US$5,000 or Rp84.4 million per pilgrim. One method involved diverting Hajj mujamalah visa pilgrims to special Hajj. Based on the KPK team’s examination results, Yaqut, Ishfah, and several other Ministry of Religious Affairs officials also received these fees. For 2024, Indonesia received an additional Hajj quota of 20,000 from the Saudi Arabian Government, aimed at reducing the 47-year Hajj waiting list. This was obtained during a meeting between the Indonesian and Saudi Arabian governments in October 2023. In a meeting with the DPR in early November 2023, Yaqut stated that Indonesia’s additional 2024 Hajj quota of 20,000 would be divided 92 percent for regular (18,400) and 8 percent for special (1,600). Over time, Ishfah, on Yaqut’s orders, conveyed that the additional Hajj quota would be split equally 50 percent for regular and 50 percent for special. On Yaqut’s orders, Ishfah is said to have given technical instructions on the scheme or method of distributing the additional Hajj quota to make it appear not to violate Law No. 8 of 2019 on Hajj and Umrah Administration, which stipulates that the special Hajj quota is set at 8 percent of Indonesia’s total Hajj quota, with the remainder for regular. The Ministry of Religious Affairs then held a meeting with several PIHK association officials under the SATHU Forum. For the 2024 additional Hajj quota, the KPK suspects Ishfah directed staff in the Directorate of Umrah and Special Hajj Development, as the Deputy Head of Licensing, Accreditation, and Special Hajj Organiser Development, to collect acceleration fees and appoint someone to coordinate the fee money from associations and PIHKs. The fee value was agreed at US$2,000 or approximately Rp33.8 million per pilgrim. The KPK also revealed that Ishfah allegedly ordered M. Agus Syafi’, the Deputy Head of Licensing, Accreditation, and Special Hajj Organiser Development at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, to request a sum of money from PIHKs, which was ultimately charged to special Hajj candidate pilgrims at a minimum of US$2,500 (Rp42.2 million) per pilgrim as a fee or commitment fee or other costs to obtain the additional special Hajj quota, alias T0 or TX quota. The giving and collection of this money occurred from February to June 2024. The practice of requesting fee or commitment fee or other costs money from PIHKs, charged to special Hajj candidate pilgrims within the special Hajj package price, was also carried out in the 2023 Hajj implementation. In filling the 2023 additional special Hajj quota, the requested fee was around US$4,000-5,000 (Rp67.5 million to Rp84.4 million) per pilgrim. When information spread in July 2024 that the DPR would form a Hajj Special Committee, Ishfah ordered the Deputy Head to return the collected money to associations or PIHKs. However, some of the fee money was still kept and used for Yaqut’s personal interests. According to the KPK, the money from the fee collection was also allegedly used to influence the Hajj Special Committee, known to Yaqut. Furthermore, the distribution of the additional Hajj quota for the 2023-2024 Hajj implementation is suspected to also involve Hilman Latief, the Director General of Hajj and Umrah Organiser at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, and Rizky Fisa Abadi, the Deputy Head of Licensing, Accreditation, and Special Hajj Organiser Development at the Ministry of Religious Affairs.