Members of 2024 Hajj Special Committee Deny KPK Allegations of Bribery Attempt by Yaqut

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has alleged that former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas attempted to bribe members of the Hajj Oversight Special Committee (Pansus Angket Pengawasan Haji) of the Indonesian Parliament in 2024. According to the KPK, the alleged bribe was intended to facilitate manipulation of additional hajj quotas from Saudi Arabia, but the bribery attempt was rejected by the committee.

Several members of the Hajj Special Committee interviewed by Republika have dismissed allegations of bribery attempts. They claim to have worked strictly in accordance with applicable regulations. Achmad Baidowi, a politician from the United Development Party (PPP) who served as a committee member, stated he was unaware of any bribery matters.

“We have no knowledge of such matters. We work in accordance with the constitution to oversee the implementation of hajj in accordance with regulations,” Baidowi told Republika on Friday, 13 March 2026.

Baidowi emphasised that hajj funds represent a public trust that must be channelled according to their intended purpose. He stressed that these funds should be used in accordance with their designated aims. “We are not willing to play games with pilgrims’ funds,” Baidowi said.

Ledia Hanifa Amaliah, a PKS politician and former member of the Hajj Special Committee, expressed a similar view to Baidowi. Ledia stated she worked strictly according to her responsibilities as mandated by the leadership of the Indonesian Parliament. The Hajj Special Committee was established with the support of PKB Chairman Muhaimin Iskandar, who was serving as Deputy Speaker of the Parliament at that time.

“The Hajj Special Committee operated as directed by the Parliament leadership. The results have also been presented in the Plenary Session of the Indonesian Parliament,” Ledia said.

Saleh Partaonan Daulay, a former member of the Hajj Special Committee and Deputy Chairman of the PAN party’s Central Executive Board, also confirmed he never heard of any bribery allegations from Yaqut. “We have no knowledge of such matters. We work in accordance with the constitution to oversee the implementation of hajj in accordance with regulations. We are not willing to play games with pilgrims’ funds,” Saleh stated.

Saleh emphasised that the Hajj Special Committee worked to ensure that hajj funds were used in accordance with regulations. “I never heard of it. To my knowledge, the committee members worked seriously and purposefully. All the material concerns relate to the management of hajj, from registration to the return of pilgrims,” Saleh said.

The KPK has alleged that former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas attempted to silence the Hajj Special Committee of Parliament. This alleged attempt to silence the committee was initially intended to be carried out by Yaqut through providing money to committee members so that the distribution of additional hajj quotas from Saudi Arabia could be manipulated without obstruction.