Hajj Quota Funds Returned by Khalid to KPK Amount to Rp8.4 Billion

The owner of PT Zahra Oto Mandiri (Uhud Tour), Khalid Zeed Abdullah Basalamah, has revealed that he returned money allegedly related to Hajj quotas to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) amounting to Rp8.4 billion. The return of the funds was carried out in stages since the first examination in September last year. “So, PT Muhibbah returned the funds to us. We didn’t know what the money was for. The amount was around Rp8.4 billion. Yes, it was returned,” Khalid said after undergoing examination as a witness at the KPK office in Jakarta on Thursday (23/4) night. Khalid claimed he was unaware of the flow of money to several officials in the Ministry of Religious Affairs. He explained that he only dealt with PT Muhibbah Mulia Wisata Pekanbaru. Khalid once explained that he and the Uhud Tour pilgrims eventually performed the Hajj pilgrimage through a special quota offered by the travel agency. The money he has returned to the KPK, he clarified, is related to PT Muhibbah Mulia Wisata Pekanbaru. “When it was returned to us, we weren’t told what the money was for. The money was just given to us. Then, when we were called by the KPK, the KPK said, ‘Ustaz, there is money from the visa.’ I said, ‘Yes, there is.’ Ustaz must return it,” Khalid said. “Fine, we returned it. So, the money wasn’t kept by us. The money was given by Muhibbah, and we didn’t know what it was for. The KPK asked us to return it when requested. That’s the extent of it. Once again, in this case, we are the victims,” he added. Separately confirmed, KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo explained that investigators are delving into Khalid’s details regarding the return of the money and discussions on Hajj quotas. Similar material is also being explored with four other witnesses examined. They are the President Director of PT Kafilah Maghfirah Wisata, Firman M. Nur; Director of PT Chairul Umam Addauli, Dahrizal Dahlan; Director of PT Nadwa Mulia Utama, Zulhendri; and President Director of PT Sriwijaya Mega Wisata, Salwaty. “In today’s examination, the witnesses were asked for statements regarding the previous return of money by PIHK (Special Hajj Organisers) to the KPK, as well as discussions on additional Hajj quotas for 2023-2024,” Budi stated. Budi explained that there are still several PIHK that have not returned the money. Therefore, the KPK, he clarified, is asking those PIHK to act cooperatively. The examination of Khalid and his colleagues is to complete the case file for four suspects. Namely, former Minister of Religious Affairs of Indonesia Yaqut Cholil Qoumas; Yaqut’s staff named Ishfah Abidal Aziz alias Gus Alex; Operational Director of PT Makassar Toraja (Maktour) Ismail Adham; and Commissioner of PT Raudah Eksati Utama as well as General Chairman of the Kesthuri Association, Asrul Azis Taba. Nevertheless, only Yaqut and Ishfah have been detained by the KPK so far. The KPK applies Article 2 paragraph (1) and or Article 3 of the Corruption Eradication Law (UU Tipikor) juncto Article 55 paragraph (1) first of the Criminal Code or as referred to in Article 603 or Article 604 of Law Number 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code juncto Article 20 letter (c) of the Criminal Code Law in this case.