Muhadjir Admits Signing Hajj Quota Reallocation Letter at Request of Fuad Hasan
Jakarta (ANTARA) - The 2022 interim Minister of Religious Affairs, Muhadjir Effendy, has admitted to signing a request letter for the reallocation of additional Hajj quotas in July 2022, following a request from the President Director of PT Makassar Toraja (Maktour), Fuad Hasan Masyhur.
According to Muhadjir, Fuad had verbally requested the reallocation of additional Hajj quotas from regular Hajj to special Hajj for the benefit of the Hajj and Umrah Travel Association (SATHU).
“At that time, what was clear was that the quota could no longer be used; the Ministry could not utilise it. Subsequently, the association met me—if I am not mistaken, more than seven people—at the Coordinating Ministry for Human Development and Culture office,” Muhadjim stated while providing testimony as a witness during a hearing at the Corruption Court of the Central Jakarta District Court on Tuesday.
He explained that through the signed letter, the government provided the association with the opportunity to manage said Hajj quota, subject to approval from the Government of Saudi Arabia.
Muhadjir further emphasised that he did not initially know Fuad and only became aware of him during that meeting as one of the association members discussing the quota reallocation.
“Neither I nor my family ever received money, facilities, or free Umrah trips from Fuad,” he added.
Muhadjir testified in the trial concerning alleged Hajj quota corruption, which involves the former General Chairman of the Indonesian Hajj and Umrah Tour Travel Union, Asrul Azis Taba, as the defendant.
In the case of the alleged corruption regarding the 2023-2024 Indonesian Hajj quotas, Asrul is accused of causing state losses amounting to Rp622.09 billion, alongside the Minister of Religious Affairs for the 2020-2024 period, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, a former special staffer to Yaqut, Ishfah Abidal Aziz (alias Gus Alex), and the Operational Director of Maktour, Ismail Adham.
The four individuals are alleged to have diverted and manipulated the allocation of the 50 per cent additional special Hajj quota for 2024 without any technical study or basis.
They are also suspected of filling the additional special Hajj quotas for 2023 and 2024 with special Hajj pilgrims who had no waiting period (TO) and pilgrims with a waiting period (Tx) that did not comply with established mechanisms.
The filling of these quotas was allegedly carried out to accommodate requests from the Association of Special Hajj Organisers (PIHK), accompanied by the receipt of acceleration fees from pilgrims and special Hajj officials.
For their actions, the four individuals are charged with violating Article 603 in conjunction with Article 20 letter c of the National Criminal Code, or Article 3 in conjunction with Article 18 of Law Number 31 of 1998 on the Eradication of Corruption Crimes, as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001.