Hajj Quota Case: KPK States 8,400 Regular Pilgrims Failed to Depart in 2024
Jakarta — Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has revealed losses suffered by regular hajj pilgrims due to changes in hajj quota distribution. As a result, thousands of prospective pilgrims have had to wait considerably longer to travel to the Holy Land.
Asep Guntur Rahayu, Deputy for Prosecution and Execution at the KPK, explained that approximately 8,400 pilgrims who were scheduled to depart in 2024 have had to postpone their journeys. Consequently, waiting periods have become much longer.
“They were supposed to depart in 2024, but around 8,400 people ended up not departing and instead had to use special hajj services,” said Asep during a press conference at the Red and White Building of the KPK in Jakarta, Thursday (12 March 2026).
He explained that most people begin saving from around the age of 20 until they are eventually able to pay the full hajj costs at ages 50 to 60 years old. With such extended waiting periods, delaying departure can have serious consequences for prospective pilgrims.
“They should have already departed, but because the queue increased, they have to wait again. Yet we never know someone’s lifespan. There are those who never get the chance to perform the hajj because they pass away before departure—this is ironic,” he said.
In this case, the KPK also scrutinised the distribution of hajj quotas in 2024. It was noted that the number of regular hajj pilgrims reached 213,320 people, whilst pilgrims departing through tourism companies or special hajj packages numbered 27,680 people.
The above quota distribution used a scheme allocating 50 per cent for regular hajj and 50 per cent for special hajj. The KPK assessed that this distribution did not align with the outcome of a coordination meeting held between the Ministry of Religion and Commission VIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives in November 2023.
In that meeting, it was agreed that the additional hajj quota should be allocated at 92 per cent for regular hajj and 8 per cent for special hajj. However, in its implementation, the quota distribution was deemed not to follow that agreement, thus extending waiting periods for regular hajj pilgrims.