KPK States Gus Yaqut Failed to Bribe Hajj Special Committee with Rp 16.8 Billion

JAKARTA — The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has highlighted an attempt by the Religious Affairs Minister during 2020-2024, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas (YCQ), to silence the House of Representatives’ Hajj Special Committee (Pansus Haji). The intended suppression involved providing monetary incentives to Pansus members to allow manipulation of the additional hajj quota allocation from Saudi Arabia without obstruction.

KPK Deputy for Prosecution and Execution Asep Guntur Rahayu explained that Yaqut attempted to condition the Hajj Special Committee by distributing funds derived from fees obtained through the allocation of an additional 50 per cent of the quota for Special Hajj Organisers (PIHK). However, the quota should have been limited to only 8 per cent of the 20,000 additional quotas Indonesia received from Saudi Arabia in 2024.

“The money collected from these fees was allegedly used to condition the Hajj Special Committee, as was known to YCQ,” Asep stated to journalists in Jakarta on Thursday 12 March 2026.

However, Yaqut’s attempt failed as the Hajj Special Committee outright rejected the monetary offer. According to KPK investigations, Gus Yaqut had prepared bribe funds of 1 million United States dollars, equivalent to approximately Rp 16.9 billion.

“There was an attempt to provide something, but it was rejected. Alhamdulillah, how shall I say, the special committee was excellent, highly principled, so they rejected it,” Asep remarked.

The illicit funds were subsequently retained by Gus Yaqut himself. However, the KPK eventually seized the money as material evidence. “This is one of the pieces of evidence that money was collected from pilgrims and then, through the travel association forum, was used at the direction of Mr YCQ,” Asep stated.