Khalid Basalamah Returns Rp8.4 Billion to KPK in Hajj Quota Case
Jakarta (ANTARA) - Preacher and owner of the hajj travel bureau PT Zahra Oto Mandiri or Uhud Tour, Khalid Zeed Abdullah Basalamah, claims to have returned around Rp8.4 billion to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) in connection with the alleged hajj quota corruption case.
“The amount is around Rp8.4 billion,” 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, he admitted to forgetting the exact date when he returned the money to the KPK.
“Gosh, don’t ask about the date. I can’t remember that,” he said.
Nevertheless, he stated that he decided to return the money after the KPK examined him as a witness.
Meanwhile, he explained that the money was the total hajj fees paid by himself and the pilgrims to the hajj organiser PT Muhibbah, based in Pekanbaru, Riau.
“So, PT Muhibbah refunded the funds to us. We don’t know what the money was for. The amount is around Rp8.4 billion,” he said.
He continued, “The money was given by Muhibbah, and we don’t know what it was. The KPK asked for it, and we returned it when requested, that’s all.”
Therefore, the Chairman of the Indonesian Hajj and Umrah Travel Council Association (Mutiara Haji), claimed to be only a victim in the alleged hajj quota corruption case.
Previously, on 9 August 2025, the KPK initiated an investigation into the alleged corruption of Indonesia’s 2023-2024 hajj quota.
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, 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.
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, namely the Operational Director of Maktour, Ismail Adham, and the General Chairman of the Indonesian Hajj and Umrah Travel Union (Kesthuri), Asrul Aziz Taba.