KPK Suspects Hajj Corruption Funds Flowed to Parliamentary Special Committee
The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has revealed that funds derived from fees or commitment fees from prospective special hajj pilgrims were used to influence the Special Committee (Pansus) overseeing hajj operations in the Indonesian Parliament (DPR RI).
In this case, the KPK alleges that there was manipulation of additional hajj quotas, whereby the original composition of 92 per cent for regular pilgrims and 8 per cent for special hajj was altered to 50 per cent each. This automatically increased the quota available for the special hajj pathway.
Regarding the allocation of these additional special hajj quotas, the process did not follow the national sequential list system but instead relied on recommendations from Special Hajj Pilgrimage Organisers (PIHK) or hajj travel agencies.
In allocating the additional special hajj quotas for 2023, the KPK alleges that Minister of Religious Affairs (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas (YCQ) requested fees of approximately US$4,000–5,000 (approximately 67.5 million–84.4 million rupiah) from PIHK or travel agencies. These fees were then charged to pilgrims.
During implementation, when information emerged that Parliament would establish a Special Hajj Committee around July 2024, Ishfah Abidal Aziz, alias Gus Alex, Yaqut’s special staff member, instructed the subdivision chief to return the collected fees to the Association or PIHK. However, according to the KPK, portions of the fees were allegedly retained and used for YCQ’s personal interests.
The KPK alleges that the remaining funds held by Yaqut were used to influence the Parliamentary hajj special committee, which was known to YCQ.
“The funds collected from fees were also allegedly used to condition the hajj special committee known by YCQ,” said KPK Deputy for Prosecution and Enforcement Asep Guntur Rahayu during a press conference at the agency’s office on Thursday (12 March).
In this case, Yaqut and Gus Alex have been designated as suspects by the KPK. Yaqut has already been detained by the KPK for the next 20 days.
During the ongoing investigation, the KPK has conducted searches at several locations, including Yaqut’s residence in Condet, East Jakarta; a hajj and umrah travel agency office in Jakarta; the residence of a Ministry of Religious Affairs civil servant in Depok; and the office of the Directorate General for Hajj and Umrah Operations (PHU) of the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
Numerous pieces of evidence allegedly linked to the case have been seized, including documents, electronic evidence, vehicles, and property.
According to calculations by the State Audit Board (BPK), the state sustained losses of approximately 622.090.207.166,41 rupiah (622 billion rupiah) from the alleged corruption involving additional hajj quotas for operations in 2023 and 2024.