KPK suspects Kesthuri chairman Asrul Aziz gave US$406,000 to Gus Alex

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Corruption Eradication Commission suspects Asrul Aziz Taba (ASR) of giving money amounting to US$406,000 to Ishfah Abidal Aziz alias Gus Alex (IAA) while serving as Special Staff to the Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas. “ASR is suspected of giving a sum of money to IAA amounting to US$406,000,” stated Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Asep Guntur Rahayu at the KPK Red and White Building, Jakarta, on Monday. Asrul Aziz Taba is the Commissioner of PT Raudah Eksati Utama and the General Chairman of the Indonesian Hajj and Umrah Tour Travel Association (Kesthuri), who has been designated by the KPK as one of the suspects in the alleged corruption case involving the Hajj quota. Asep stated that Asrul Aziz gave the money to Gus Alex as a representation of Yaqut Cholil. Moreover, he said, Yaqut has repeatedly conveyed to various parties that whenever he has matters to attend to, he always appoints Gus Alex. Previously, on 9 August 2025, the KPK began investigating the alleged corruption case related to Indonesia’s Hajj quota for 2023-2024. On 9 January 2026, the KPK announced former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas and Ishfah Abidal Aziz alias Gus Alex, as Yaqut’s special staff, as suspects in the case. Meanwhile, Fuad Hasan Masyhur, the owner of the Hajj organiser Maktour, was not named a suspect, although he was previously banned from leaving the country. On 27 February 2026, the KPK announced that it had received an audit from the Financial Audit Board (BPK) of the Republic of Indonesia regarding state financial losses due to the Hajj quota case. Subsequently, on 4 March 2026, the KPK announced that the state financial losses due to the case amounted to Rp622 billion. On 12 March 2026, the KPK detained Yaqut Cholil at the KPK Red and White Building State Detention House branch. Then, on 17 March 2026, the KPK detained Gus Alex at the KPK Central Anti-Corruption Education Detention House branch. On the same date, Yaqut Cholil’s family requested the KPK to allow the former Minister to be under house arrest. The KPK subsequently granted the request, and Yaqut has been under house arrest since 19 March 2026. On 23 March 2026, the KPK announced that it was processing the transfer of Yaqut Cholil’s detention from house arrest back to detention house. On 24 March 2026, Yaqut officially became a detainee at the KPK Detention House. On 30 March 2026, the KPK announced two new suspects in the case. They are Maktour’s Operations Director Ismail Adham and the General Chairman of the Indonesian Hajj and Umrah Tour Travel Association (Kesthuri) Asrul Aziz Taba.