Gus Alex Denies Money Flow in Hajj Quota Corruption Case to Yaqut, KPK Responds

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has responded to statements made by Ishfah Abidal Aziz, alias Gus Alex, a suspect in the alleged hajj quota corruption case.

Gus Alex previously asserted that there was neither any order nor money flow from the hajj quota corruption case to former Religious Minister (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, known as Gus Yaqut.

Regarding this matter, the KPK stated that all of Gus Alex’s statements will be fully revealed during court proceedings. “Certainly, all matters will be revealed in court, or in detail regarding the construction of the case—how the unlawful acts were committed by those who have been designated as suspects, and what their respective roles were in the discretionary process or the alleged process of receiving money flows from PIHK (special hajj service operators). All of this will be revealed,” said KPK Spokesman Budi Prasetyo on Wednesday, 18 March 2026.

Budi then invited the public to follow the proceedings closely once the hajj quota case enters the trial stage. “So that everyone can follow and scrutinise every fact that emerges during the court proceedings,” he said.

The KPK began investigating the alleged hajj quota corruption case on 9 August 2025, involving Indonesia’s hajj quotas for 2023-2024. On 11 August 2025, the KPK announced an initial calculation of state losses in the case totalling over Rp1 trillion and prevented three individuals from travelling abroad for six months.

Those prevented from travelling were Yaqut, Gus Alex in his capacity as Yaqut’s special staff, and Fuad Hasan Masyhur, owner of hajj service operator Maktour.

On 9 January 2026, the KPK announced that two of the three individuals prevented from travelling—Yaqut and Gus Alex—had become suspects in the alleged hajj quota corruption case.

However, Yaqut filed a pre-trial motion challenging his designation as a suspect at the Jakarta South District Court on 10 February 2026, registered under case number 19/Pid.Pra/2026/PN JKT.SEL.

On 19 February 2026, the KPK announced an extension of the travel ban for only Yaqut and Gus Alex, whilst Fuad’s ban was not extended. On 27 February 2026, the KPK announced that it had received an audit from the State Audit Agency (BPK) regarding state financial losses from the hajj quota case. Subsequently, on 4 March 2026, the KPK announced that state financial losses from the case had reached Rp622 billion.