KPK Communicates with Asrul Aziz Regarding His Whereabouts in Saudi Arabia
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has stated that it has communicated with Asrul Aziz Taba (ASR), the suspect in the alleged corruption case involving Hajj quotas, after learning that the former Chairman of the Indonesian Hajj and Umrah Travel Association (Kesthuri) is currently in Saudi Arabia.
“Brother ASR’s whereabouts have been detected abroad, specifically still in Saudi Arabia. The investigators have received confirmation from Immigration authorities and have successfully communicated with suspect ASR,” said KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo to journalists in Jakarta on Wednesday.
Budi explained that the KPK has urged the suspect to return to Indonesia promptly so that he can be examined by the anti-corruption agency’s investigators.
“If examination by investigators is required in his capacity as a suspect, he can comply with the summons, as we all certainly want the investigation of this case to be completed promptly and thoroughly,” he said.
He further stated that the Hajj quota case will continue to develop, as the KPK is still delving into it.
For instance, he said, delving into the roles of other parties in the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Hajj organiser associations, or the Hajj bureaus themselves, from before the discretionary allocation of additional Hajj quotas, the allocation process, to post-discretion.
“This will continue to develop. There are still other clusters that will be delved into and traced by the investigators,” he said.
Previously, on 9 August 2025, the KPK began investigating the alleged corruption case related to Indonesia’s Hajj quotas for 2023-2024.
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 Hajj organiser Maktour, was not named as a suspect, although he was once 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 the state financial losses due to the case amounted to Rp622 billion.
On 12 March 2026, the KPK detained Yaqut Cholil at the KPK’s Red and White Building State Detention House branch.
Subsequently, on 17 March 2026, the KPK detained Gus Alex at the KPK’s Central Anti-Corruption Education Detention House branch.
On the same date, Yaqut Cholil’s family requested the KPK to allow the former Minister of Religious Affairs 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 Cholil’s detention from house arrest back to detention house. On 24 March 2026, Yaqut officially became a detainee at the KPK Detention House.
The KPK announced two new suspects in the case on 30 March 2026. They are Ismail Adham, the Operational Director of Maktour, and Asrul Aziz Taba, the Chairman of the Indonesian Hajj and Umrah Travel Association (Kesthuri).