KPK Reveals Fuad Hasan Wrote to Yaqut for 8,000 Pilgrims Allocation

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has unveiled new evidence in the alleged 2023 hajj quota corruption scandal involving former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas. The anti-corruption agency revealed the active role of Fuad Hasan Masyhur (FHM) in lobbying for an additional allocation of 8,000 pilgrims’ quotas.

KPK’s Deputy for Enforcement and Execution, Asep Guntur Rahayu, explained that Fuad Hasan, owner of Maktour Travel hajj agency and chairman of the SATHU Forum Board, had written specifically to Yaqut to maximise the absorption of additional quotas for hajj travel agencies.

The lobbying reportedly triggered the creation of a policy that contradicted the outcome of a working meeting between the Religious Affairs Ministry and Commission VIII of the Indonesian Parliament in early May 2023. At that time, Parliament agreed that all additional quotas would be allocated entirely for regular hajj.

However, Yaqut instead issued Religious Affairs Minister Decree (KMA) Number 467 of 2023, which altered the composition to 7,360 regular quotas and 640 special hajj quotas. “HL (Hilman Latief) proposed to YCQ that the quota be divided, and this proposal was approved despite contradicting Parliament’s agreement,” Asep stated at a press conference in Jakarta on Friday, 13 March.

This allocation deviation was followed by instructions to collect special hajj acceleration fees of USD 5,000 per pilgrim, equivalent to approximately Rp84 million. Through this scheme, prospective pilgrims could depart without going through a lengthy queue. The KPK found strong indications that the “facilitation money” flowed to various parties, including Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, his special staff Ishfah Abidal Aziz (known as Gus Alex), and several senior officials within the Religious Affairs Ministry.

To date, the KPK has named Yaqut and Gus Alex as suspects. Based on the latest audit by Indonesia’s Financial Audit Board (BPK), the scandal has caused a state financial loss of up to Rp622 billion. Yaqut has been held at the KPK’s Red and White Building State Detention Centre since 12 March 2026.

The alleged corruption stemmed from the policy of distributing an additional 20,000 pilgrims’ quotas, which was deemed to violate regulations.