KPK Confirms Flow of Hajj Quota Corruption Funds to Former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) views the naming of two new suspects in the alleged Hajj quota corruption case as dispelling or clarifying rumours regarding the absence of any suspected flow of funds to former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas (YCQ). “This simultaneously clarifies and confirms the narrative circulating in society regarding whether or not there is a suspected flow of money to Mr YCQ,” stated KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo to reporters in Jakarta on Wednesday, 1 April 2026. Budi explained that the KPK considers this due to the two new suspects serving as a nexus or confirmation point that there is indeed a suspected flow of money to several officials in the Ministry of Religious Affairs. “These two suspects simultaneously become the nexus or confirmation point that there is indeed a suspected flow of money from PIHK (special Hajj pilgrimage organisers) to individuals in the Ministry of Religious Affairs,” he said. The two new suspects, at the time of the Hajj quota case, held positions as Operational Director of Maktour Ismail Adham and Chairman of the Indonesian Hajj and Umrah Travel Association (Kesthuri) Asrul Aziz Taba. Previously, on 9 August 2025, the KPK began investigating the alleged corruption case related to Indonesia’s Hajj quota for 2023–2024. On 9 January 2026, the KPK announced former Yaqut and Ishfah Abidal Aziz alias Gus Alex, Yaqut’s special staff, as suspects in the case. Meanwhile, Fuad Hasan Masyhur, owner of the Hajj organiser Maktour, was not named as a suspect, although he was temporarily banned from leaving the country. On 27 February 2026, the KPK announced it had received an audit from the Financial Audit Board (BPK) of the Republic of Indonesia regarding state financial losses from the Hajj quota case. Subsequently, on 4 March 2026, the KPK announced that the state financial losses from the case amounted to Rp622 billion. On 12 March 2026, the KPK detained Yaqut at the KPK’s Red and White Building State Detention House Branch. Then, 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’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.