KPK Designates Two New Suspects, Exposes Collusion Between Travel Bureaus and Ministry of Religious Affairs Officials in Hajj Quota Regulation

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has designated two new suspects in the investigation into the corruption case concerning the 2023-2024 Hajj quota. Both newly designated suspects hail from the private sector. They are Ismail Adham (IA), the Operational Director of PT Maktour, and Asrul Azis Taba (ASR), the Commissioner of PT Raudah Eksati Utama and Chairman of the Indonesian Hajj and Umrah Travel Agencies Association (Kesthuri). KPK Deputy for Enforcement and Execution, Asep Guntur Rahayu, stated that the two suspects are alleged to have played an active role in arranging additional special Hajj quotas that do not comply with the law, as well as providing sums of money to Ministry of Religious Affairs officials. “Investigators have found an active role by the suspects in arranging the filling of additional special Hajj quotas that do not comply with statutory regulations, as well as the provision of sums of money to state officials,” said Asep Guntur Rahayu, Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), at the KPK’s Red and White Building in Jakarta on Monday, 30 March 2026. Asep explained that Ismail Adham and Asrul Azis Taba, along with Fuad Hasan Mashyur as the Advisory Board of the SATHU Forum, held meetings with former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas and his former special staff member Iqbal Abdul Aziz or Gus Alex. The meetings were intended to request an increase in the special Hajj quota exceeding the 8 percent limit as stipulated by law, resulting in the allocation of additional regular and special Hajj quotas on a 50-50 scheme. However, according to regulations, the Hajj quota is set at 92 percent for regular Hajj and 8 percent for special Hajj. “The two suspects, brothers ISM and ASR, together with parties from the Ministry of Religious Affairs, arranged the filling of additional special Hajj quotas for companies affiliated with PT Makassar Toraja or Maktour,” he said. This scheme included acceleration quotas for departure or T0, where pilgrims can depart in the same year they register at a higher cost. In the investigation, flows of funds from the two suspects to Ministry of Religious Affairs officials were also uncovered. “ASR is alleged to have given a sum of money to IAA amounting to 406,000 US dollars,” revealed Asep Guntur.