KPK Reschedules Examination of Maktour CEO for Next Week
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has rescheduled the examination of PT Makassar Toraja (Maktour) President Director Fuad Hasan Masyhur for next week. Fuad was summoned as a witness in the alleged corruption case concerning additional hajj quotas for 2023-2024.
“Investigators have rescheduled his examination for next week. We are confident the witness will attend the rescheduled session,” said KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo when contacted via written message on Friday (12/6). “We will update you on the exact date later,” he added.
Fuad was originally summoned for questioning by investigators on Tuesday, 2 June, but was unable to attend as he was performing the hajj pilgrimage. “The witness has also conveyed that he will be cooperative and support the investigation process of this case,” Budi stated.
Fuad, along with several other parties, allegedly held meetings with officials at the Ministry of Religious Affairs to request an increase in the special hajj quota exceeding the 8 percent limit stipulated in legislation. The lobbying was reportedly successful, resulting in the distribution of regular and special hajj quotas under a 50-50 percent scheme.
The additional 20,000 hajj quotas should have been distributed with 18,400, or 92 percent, for regular pilgrims and 1,600, or 8 percent, for special pilgrims. Consequently, the regular hajj quota, originally 203,320, should have increased to 221,720, while the special hajj quota, originally 17,680, should have increased to 19,280.
However, an unlawful act was allegedly committed when the then Minister of Religious Affairs, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, signed Decree Number 130 of 2024, which stipulated a 50 percent quota distribution for regular hajj and 50 percent for special hajj.
The KPK is currently prosecuting four suspects in the alleged corruption case involving additional hajj quotas for 2023-2024. They are Yaqut Cholil Qoumas and his Special Staff member Ishfah Abidal Aziz, also known as Gus Alex, as well as Maktour Operational Director Ismail Adham and Kesthuri Association Chairman who is also a Commissioner of PT Raudah Eksati Utama, Asrul Azis Taba, who was only detained on 8 June. The KPK will transfer the case files of the four suspects to court simultaneously.
During the ongoing investigation, the KPK has identified more than 300 travel agencies involved in the additional hajj quotas. Several travel agencies have been hesitant to provide information regarding the practice of buying and selling additional hajj quotas.
The KPK is applying Article 2 paragraph (1) and/or Article 3 of the Corruption Eradication Law in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) 1st of the Criminal Code, or as referred to in Article 603 or Article 604 of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code in conjunction with Article 20 letter (c) of the Criminal Code Law. This article relates to state financial losses. Based on calculations by the audit team of the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK), the alleged corruption case involving additional hajj quotas for 2023-2024 is suspected of causing state financial losses amounting to Rp622 billion.