Khalid Basalamah has not contacted Ibnu Mas'ud since KPK investigated hajj quota case
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Preacher and owner of the hajj travel agency PT Zahra Oto Mandiri or Uhud Tour, Khalid Zeed Abdullah Basalamah, claimed he has never contacted Ibnu Mas’ud since the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) investigated the alleged hajj quota corruption case.
“No, there has been none,” said Khalid after being examined by the KPK as a witness in the hajj quota case at the KPK’s Red and White Building in Jakarta on Thursday.
Furthermore, Khalid claimed he never thought of communicating with Ibnu Mas’ud, who is the owner of the hajj travel agency PT Muhibbah based in Pekanbaru, Riau. Especially with the ongoing investigation into the hajj quota case.
“Well, I thought, why communicate? We just reported it, and that’s it,” he said.
When asked about the consequences of Ibnu Mas’ud and PT Muhibbah dragging his name into the hajj quota investigation, he said he leaves all that to the afterlife.
“That’s his business in the afterlife; the important thing is I conveyed what I know, and I know I did nothing wrong,” he stated.
Meanwhile, Khalid explained that he did not receive any benefits from the hajj quota case.
“My name is registered as a pilgrim with PT Muhibbah, and we have handed over all that (information to the KPK),” he said.
Therefore, as the chairman of the association called Majelis Utama Travel Indonesia Arahan Haji dan Umrah (Mutiara Haji), he claimed to be merely a victim in the hajj quota case being investigated by the KPK. Specifically, he claimed to be a victim of Ibnu Mas’ud.
“Originally, PT Zahra was purely for furoda; we had already paid for the hotel there, we had already paid for the visa, then suddenly PT Muhibbah came offering it with the reason of official visas. That’s why we all registered with PT Muhibbah, and we have handed over all that data to the KPK. My name is also with PT Muhibbah,” he explained.
He continued, “When we had already obtained the visas, we departed; that’s what we knew from PT Muhibbah. So, we only went that far. We never knew about the Ministry of Religious Affairs, its staff—we never interacted with them at all. So, I would say, we are victims.”
Previously, on 9 August 2025, the KPK initiated an investigation into the alleged corruption case of Indonesia’s hajj quota for 2023-2024.
On 9 January 2026, the KPK named former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas and Ishfah Abidal Aziz alias Gus Alex as suspects.
Meanwhile, Fuad Hasan Masyhur, the owner of the hajj organiser Maktour, was not named as a suspect, although he was once banned from leaving the country.
The KPK then received the results of an audit by the Financial Audit Board (BPK) of Indonesia on 27 February 2026, which stated that the state financial losses in the case amounted to Rp622 billion.
Subsequently, on 12 March 2026, the KPK detained Yaqut at the KPK’s Red and White Building Branch State Detention House, followed by the detention of Ishfah on 17 March 2026.
The KPK temporarily changed Yaqut’s detention status to house arrest on 19 March 2026 at the family’s request, but re-detained him at the KPK Detention Centre on 24 March 2026.
On 30 March 2026, the KPK named two new suspects: Maktour’s Operational Director Ismail Adham and the General Chairman of Kesatuan Tour Travel Haji Umrah Republik Indonesia (Kesthuri), Asrul Aziz Taba.