KPK Suspects Maktour Director Gave US$30,000 to Gus Alex
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The Corruption Eradication Commission suspects Operational Director of PT Makassar Toraja or Maktour, Ismail Adham (ISM), of giving approximately US$30,000 to Ishfah Abidal Aziz alias Gus Alex (IAA) while he served as Special Staff to Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas (YCQ).
Both Ismail Adham and Gus Alex are suspects in the alleged corruption case related to Indonesia’s Hajj quota for 2023–2024, which is being investigated by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).
“Suspect ISM is alleged to have given a sum of money to IAA amounting to US$30,000,” stated Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the KPK, Asep Guntur Rahayu, at the KPK’s Red and White Building in Jakarta on Monday.
Asep said that the KPK suspects Gus Alex received the money as a representative of Yaqut Cholil.
“Colleagues should know that Mr IAA is special staff, and on several occasions Mr YCQ has always stated that for any matters, directly approach Mr IAA,” he said.
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 special staff to Yaqut, as suspects in the case.
Meanwhile, Fuad Hasan Masyhur, owner of the Maktour hajj organising bureau, was not named as a suspect, although he was once banned from leaving the country.
Then, on 4 March 2026, the KPK announced that the state financial loss due to the case amounted to Rp622 billion.
On 12 March 2026, the KPK detained Yaqut Cholil at the KPK’s Red and White Building Branch State Detention House.
Then, on 17 March 2026, the KPK detained Gus Alex at the KPK’s Anti-Corruption Education Centre Branch Detention House.
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 Operational Director Ismail Adham, and Chairman of the Indonesian Hajj and Umrah Tour Travel Union (Kesthuri) Asrul Aziz Taba.