KPK Examines 3 Travel Agency Witnesses in Probe into Alleged Illegal Profits from Haj Quota

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is delving into allegations of unlawful profits or illegal gains in the management of Haj quotas during the Joko Widodo administration in 2023-2024, as it examined three witnesses from Haj and Umrah travel agencies on Monday (6/4). The three witnesses examined were Ali Farihin, Operational Manager of PT Adzikra; Ahmad Fauzan, General Manager of PT Aero Globe Indonesia; and Eko Martino Wafa Afizputro, President Director of PT Afiz Nurul Qolbi (ANUBI). “Investigators sought statements from the witnesses regarding the filling of quotas and the acquisition of illegal gains or allegedly unlawful profits from additional quotas,” said KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo in a written statement on Monday (6/4). Budi stated that two other witnesses, Ulfah Izzati, Commissioner of PT Gema Shafa Marwa Tours, and Kurniawan Chandra Permata, Manager of the Umrah and Haj Division at PT Abdi Ummat Wisata, confirmed they could not attend the examination. “Investigators will reschedule,” he said. The examination is to complete the case file for four suspects already named by the KPK. They are former Minister of Religious Affairs of Indonesia for the 2019-2024 period, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas; Yaqut’s Special Staff, Ishfah Abidal Aziz alias Gus Alex; Ismail Adham, Operational Director of PT Makassar Toraja (Maktour); and Asrul Azis Taba, Commissioner of PT Raudah Eksati Utama and General Chairman of the Kesthuri Association. Yaqut and Ishfah have been detained at the State Detention House (Rutan), while Ismail and Asrul have not yet been detained. The KPK has identified more than 300 travel agencies involved in the additional Haj quotas. Several travel agencies are hesitant to provide statements regarding the practice of buying and selling additional Haj quotas. In handling this case, the KPK is applying Article 2 paragraph (1) and/or Article 3 of the Corruption Eradication Law (UU Tipikor) juncto Article 55 paragraph (1) first of the Criminal Code or as referred to in Article 603 or Article 604 of Law Number 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code juncto Article 20 letter (c) of the Criminal Code Law. These articles pertain to losses to state finances. Based on calculations by the audit team of the Financial Audit Board (BPK) of Indonesia, the alleged corruption case in the 2023-2024 Haj quotas is suspected to have caused state financial losses of Rp622 billion.