Gus Alex Joins Gus Yaqut in Spending Eid in KPK Detention
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has formally detained Ishfah Abidal Aziz (Gus Alex), a former special staff member (stafsus) of ex-Minister of Religion (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, following Yaqut who was detained earlier by the KPK.
Gus Alex was detained after undergoing questioning at KPK headquarters in Kuningan, South Jakarta, on Tuesday, 17 March 2026. Gus Alex was seen descending from the interrogation room wearing an orange KPK detention vest. Both of his hands were handcuffed.
When being led to the detention vehicle, Gus Alex denied allegations that Yaqut had issued orders regarding the 50:50 distribution of additional hajj quotas between regular and premium hajj services. “There were no orders whatsoever from Gus Yaqut,” he said.
Gus Alex also denied that Yaqut had received money from the distribution of premium hajj quotas. “No, no, there was no money received. I have already conveyed everything to the investigators and my legal team. Thank you,” he said. “I respect the legal process that is underway. I have conveyed many things already. Hopefully we can find justice and the truth,” he added.
The KPK had previously detained Yaqut on Thursday, 12 March on suspicion of receiving fees related to the distribution of 10,000 additional hajj quotas for premium services. According to KPK Deputy for Prosecution Asep Guntur Rahayu, the 8,000 additional hajj quotas in 2023 should have been entirely allocated to regular hajj. However, Yaqut allegedly agreed to a distribution of 92% for regular quotas and 8% for premium quotas after receiving a letter from Maktour travel company boss Fuad Hasan Masyhur, who is also the advisory board chairman of the Forum Silaturahmi Association of Hajj and Umrah Travel (SATHU), to maximise the absorption of additional quotas.
“Yaqut then approved the proposal by issuing Ministerial Regulation (KMA) number 467 of 2023 on 19 May 2023 concerning the determination of additional 2023 hajj quotas with a composition of 7,360 quotas for regular services and 640 for premium hajj,” Asep explained.
Following Yaqut’s approval, a ministerial decision was issued by the former Head of Sub-directorate for Licensing, Accreditation, and Development of Premium Hajj Services at the Ministry of Religion, Rizky Fisa Abadi (RFA). The KPK alleges this decision was issued on the direction of Gus Alex, Yaqut’s special staff member.
“Based on the KPK team’s investigation, RFA also provided acceleration fees to Yaqut, Gus Alex, and several other officials at the Ministry of Religion,” Asep stated.
In 2024, Yaqut is also alleged to have received fees again through accelerated dispatch of premium hajj quotas from additional quotas obtained by Indonesia from Saudi Arabia. Indonesia received 20,000 additional hajj quotas in 2024. These additional quotas were divided equally: 10,000 for regular hajj and 10,000 for premium hajj.
“The fee was agreed at USD 2,000 or approximately Rp 33.8 million per pilgrim,” Asep said.
Gus Alex is alleged to have ordered M Agus Syafi (MAS), Head of Sub-directorate for Licensing, Accreditation, and Development of Premium Hajj Services, to demand money from premium hajj providers (PIHK), which was ultimately charged to prospective premium hajj pilgrims at a minimum of USD 2,500 (Rp 42.2 million) per pilgrim. This money is alleged to be a fee or commitment fee to obtain additional premium hajj quotas.
“The collection of this money occurred between February and June 2024,” Asep added.
The KPK also alleges that Gus Alex intended to return the money collected from PIHK providers. This was because the House of Representatives (DPR) was planning to establish a Special Committee (Pansus) for the 2024 Hajj. However, the KPK states that some of this money had already been used by Yaqut for personal purposes.
“However, some of the fee money was still stored and used for Yaqut’s personal interests,” Asep explained.
The KPK also alleges that Yaqut attempted to “condition” the DPR’s Hajj Special Committee by providing money from the fees obtained from allocating 50% of additional hajj quotas to premium providers, when they should have received only 8% of the total 20,000 additional quotas obtained by Indonesia in 2024. However, the DPR’s special committee rejected this attempt.
“There was an attempt to provide something but it was rejected. Alhamdulillah, the special committee was very good and had integrity, so it was rejected. The amount was around USD 1 million, but it was rejected,” Asep clarified.
The KPK has seized assets totalling more than Rp 100 billion, including US dollars, Saudi riyals, and Indonesian rupiah in various denominations, as well as vehicles and land.
Both suspects in the alleged hajj quota distribution corruption case are now in KPK detention and will spend Eid in KPK prison.