KPK confident judge will reject Yaqut Cholil Qoumas's pre-trial motion
Jakarta — The Indonesian Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) expressed confidence that the panel of judges at the South Jakarta District Court will reject the pre-trial motion filed by former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas (YCQ) regarding the determination of his suspect status in the hajj quota case.
“We are confident that in its decision, the judges will reject the petitioner’s motion and declare the determination of YCQ’s suspect status in this case valid,” stated KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo to journalists in Jakarta on Monday.
Additionally, Budi stated that the KPK is also confident that the judges will accept the anti-corruption agency’s arguments submitted through its Legal Bureau and declare that all formal procedural aspects of the investigation, including the determination of suspect status, are in accordance with legal provisions and that sufficient valid evidence has been presented.
The decision on Yaqut’s pre-trial motion is scheduled for 11 March 2026.
Previously, on 9 August 2025, the KPK announced it had begun investigating allegations of corruption in the determination of hajj quotas and the implementation of hajj pilgrimage services at the Religious Affairs Ministry in 2023-2024.
On 11 August 2025, the KPK announced that preliminary calculations of state losses in the case exceeded Rp1 trillion and imposed travel bans on three individuals for up to six months. Those banned from travelling included Yaqut, Ishfah Abidal Aziz, known as Gus Alex, who served as Yaqut’s staff member, and Fuad Hasan Masyhur, the owner of a hajj organisation bureau, Maktour.
On 9 January 2026, the KPK announced that two of the three individuals subject to travel bans became suspects in the alleged hajj quota corruption case: Yaqut Cholil Qoumas (YCQ) and Ishfah Abidal Aziz (IAA).
However, Yaqut filed a pre-trial motion challenging his suspect status at the South Jakarta District Court on 10 February 2026, registered under case number 19/Pid.Pra/2026/PN JKT.SEL.
On 19 February 2026, the KPK announced the extension of the travel ban only for Yaqut and Gus Alex, whilst Fuad’s ban was not extended.
On 27 February 2026, the KPK announced it had received an audit from the Supreme Audit Board of the Republic of Indonesia (BPK RI) regarding the state financial losses resulting from the hajj quota case. Subsequently, on 4 March 2026, the KPK announced that the state financial losses from the case totalled Rp622 billion.