KPK Announces Two New Suspects in Hajj Quota Case

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has announced two new suspects in the alleged corruption case related to Indonesia’s Hajj quota for 2023-2024. “In this case, the KPK has once again designated two individuals as suspects, namely ISM, the Operational Director of PT Makassar Toraja or Maktour, and ASR, the Commissioner of PT Raudah Eksati Utama and also the General Chairman of Kesthuri (Kesatuan Tour Travel Haji Umrah Republik Indonesia),” stated KPK Deputy for Enforcement and Execution Asep Guntur Rahayu at the KPK’s Red and White Building in Jakarta on Monday. Asep explained that the two suspects are charged under Article 2 paragraph (1) and/or Article 3 in conjunction with Article 18 of Law No. 31 of 1999 on the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended by Law No. 20 of 2001 in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) first of the Criminal Code. Meanwhile, he said that the designation of these two private sector suspects answers questions in society regarding allegations of money being given to officials at the Ministry of Religious Affairs. “The public has been voicing that no money entered, no kickbacks, or refunds,” he said. However, he added, the KPK has found evidence of alleged fund flows from private parties to Kemenag officials, including those carried out by the two new suspects. Based on gathered information, the two new suspects are Operational Director of Maktour Ismail Adham (ISM) and Kesthuri Chairman Asrul Aziz Taba (ASR). Previously, on 9 August 2025, the KPK began investigating the alleged corruption case related to Indonesia’s 2023-2024 Hajj quota. On 9 January 2026, the KPK announced former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas and Ishfah Abidal Aziz alias Gus Alex, a special staff to Yaqut, as suspects in the case. Meanwhile, Fuad Hasan Masyhur, the owner of the Maktour Hajj organiser bureau, was not designated as a suspect despite being previously banned from leaving the country. On 27 February 2026, the KPK announced that it had received an audit from the Financial Audit Board (BPK) of the Republic of Indonesia regarding state financial losses due to the Hajj quota case. Then, on 4 March 2026, the KPK announced that state financial losses due to the case amounted to Rp622 billion. On 12 March 2026, the KPK detained Yaqut at the State Detention House Branch of the KPK’s Red and White Building. Subsequently, on 17 March 2026, the KPK detained Gus Alex at the Detention House Branch of the KPK’s Anti-Corruption Education Centre. On the same date, Yaqut’s family requested the KPK to allow the former Minister to be under house arrest. The KPK subsequently granted the request, and Yaqut has been under house arrest since 19 March 2026. On 23 March 2026, the KPK announced that it was processing the transfer of Yaqut’s detention from house arrest back to detention house. On 24 March 2026, Yaqut officially became a detainee at the KPK Detention House.