KPK Interrogates Gus Alex as Suspect in Hajj Quota Corruption Case, Will He Follow Former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut into Detention?

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has scheduled the interrogation of Ishfah Abidal Aziz, known as Gus Alex, on Tuesday, 16 March 2026, as a suspect in the hajj quota corruption case following the detention of former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas on 12 March 2026.

“Today, Tuesday (17/3), investigators have scheduled the interrogation of IAA, who was Special Staff to the Religious Affairs Minister during 2020-2024. The summons is issued in his capacity as a suspect,” KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo told journalists in Jakarta on Tuesday.

Budi further explained that Gus Alex’s interrogation will take place at the KPK’s Red and White Building in Jakarta. “We are confident that IAA will cooperate and will appear for interrogation today,” he said.

Ishfah Abidal Aziz, alias Gus Alex, was designated as a suspect in the 2023-2024 Indonesian hajj quota corruption case alongside Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, or Gus Yaqut, on 9 January 2026. Both are suspected of misappropriating the distribution of additional hajj quotas.

It is known that the Indonesian government received 20,000 additional hajj quotas in 2024 (Islamic year 1445 Hijri) from the Saudi Arabian government, which should have been allocated entirely to regular hajj pilgrimages – based on the Indonesian government’s justification to Saudi Arabia that Indonesian hajj pilgrims must queue for decades, with some waiting as long as 47 years to be able to perform the hajj.

In its implementation, Yaqut, as Religious Affairs Minister, divided the additional hajj quotas equally at 50 per cent each between regular and special hajj services, as set out in Religious Affairs Ministry Decree Number 130 of 2024.

At the direction of Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut, Gus Alex then actively communicated with various parties regarding the 20,000 additional quotas being divided in half or 50 per cent between special and regular hajj.

The 50 per cent of additional quotas were then communicated to the Special Hajj Pilgrimage Organiser (PIHK) to accelerate special hajj services.

For 2023, the additional acceleration cost for special hajj per pilgrim was set at up to USD 5,000 or approximately Rp84 million using current exchange rates. Meanwhile, the special hajj acceleration fee for 2024 was set at USD 2,500 or approximately Rp42 million using current rates.

The special hajj acceleration referred to here is a fee enabling special hajj candidates to depart more quickly when newly registered, rather than following the standard queue numbering system.