KPK Questions Former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut After Pre-trial Dismissal

JAKARTA — The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has summoned Religious Affairs Minister (2020-2024) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas (YCQ) in the capacity of a suspect in a hajj quota corruption case. This follows the dismissal by a judge at the South Jakarta District Court of Yaqut’s lawsuit challenging his designation as a suspect by the KPK.

“Today, Thursday, investigators have scheduled questioning of YCQ in the alleged corruption case related to hajj quotas for the administration of Indonesia’s hajj pilgrimage in 2023-2024. The questioning of YCQ is in his status as a suspect,” KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo said to journalists in Jakarta on Thursday (12/3/2026).

Budi stated that Yaqut’s questioning was scheduled to take place at the KPK’s Red and White Building. “We believe the individual will cooperate and will comply with this summons,” he said.

On 9 August 2025, the KPK announced it had begun investigating an alleged corruption case concerning the determination of hajj quotas and the administration of hajj pilgrimages at the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) for the 2023-2024 period. On 11 August 2025, the KPK announced that preliminary calculations of state losses in the case amounted to more than Rp 1 trillion and prevented three individuals from travelling abroad for the next six months.

Those prevented from travelling were Yaqut, Ishfah Abidal Aziz (IAA) alias Gus Alex as Yaqut’s staff member, and Fuad Hasan Masyhur as the owner of the hajj travel agency Maktour. On 9 January 2026, the KPK announced that two of the three individuals prevented from travelling became suspects in the alleged hajj quota corruption case, namely Yaqut and Gus Alex.