Gus Alex Arrives at KPK, Responds to Corruption Inquiry into Hajj Quota
Ishfah Abidal Aziz, commonly known as Gus Alex, a former special staff member to the Minister of Religion, has responded to a summons from the Anti-Corruption Commission (KPK) to face questioning as a suspect in an alleged corruption case involving the 2023–2024 hajj quota. This call came after the KPK had previously detained former Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas.
KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo stated that Gus Alex’s examination was scheduled for Tuesday, 17 March 2026, at KPK headquarters in Jakarta. “Today, Tuesday, investigators have scheduled an examination of Mr IAA, who served as Special Staff to the Minister of Religion from 2020–2024. The summons is issued in his capacity as a suspect,” Budi told journalists on Tuesday, 17 March 2026.
Budi expressed confidence that Gus Alex would cooperate fully with the summons. “We believe Mr IAA will be cooperative and will respond to the summons today,” he said.
The case originated from a KPK investigation launched on 9 August 2025 concerning alleged corruption in Indonesia’s hajj quota administration for 2023–2024. Two days later, the KPK revealed preliminary calculations of state losses exceeding Rp1 trillion. During the investigation, the KPK prevented three individuals from travelling abroad: Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, Ishfah Abidal Aziz, and Fuad Hasan Masyhur, the owner of the Maktour hajj travel agency.
On 9 January 2026, the KPK formally designated Yaqut and Gus Alex as suspects. Yaqut subsequently filed a pre-trial motion with the South Jakarta District Court, but the panel of judges rejected his petition on 11 March 2026. The KPK then detained Yaqut on 12 March 2026 at the KPK’s detention facility in the Red and White Building.
According to an audit report from Indonesia’s State Audit Board (BPK) received by the KPK, the state financial loss in this case was revised to approximately Rp622 billion. The KPK continues to develop the case into alleged hajj quota corruption, including investigating the suspects’ roles in Indonesia’s hajj quota management processes.