Muhadjir Effendy's Remarks After Being Questioned by the KPK Over the 2022 Hajj Quota

Muhadjir Effendy, Special Presidential Adviser for Hajj Affairs, said he leaves entirely to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to convey the material of the examination regarding the case of alleged corruption in the 2022 Hajj quota. He said the examination was conducted in his capacity as Ad Interim Minister of Religious Affairs in 2022.

‘Hanya anu saja, saya kan pernah jadi Ad Interim Menteri Agama tahun 2022,’ Muhadjir told reporters after undergoing the examination at the KPK office in Jakarta on Monday evening, 18 May. When asked about the handling of the Hajj quota and his relationship with Hilman Latief, the Director General of Hajj and Umrah at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Muhadjir directed that the matter be asked to the investigators directly. Muhadjir and Hilman are both members of Muhammadiyah. In this case, Hilman is alleged to have received payments of US$5,000 and 16,000 SAR. ‘Ask the investigators directly,’ he added.

Meanwhile, KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo explained that the examination of Muhadjir aims to deepen understanding of the procurement and management of the 2022 Hajj quota. ‘The investigators asked for explanations from the witness regarding his assignment as Ad Interim Minister of Religious Affairs in 2022, as well as the 2022 additional quota,’ Budi said on Monday night (18 May).

To date, the KPK has named four suspects in the case alleged to have harmed state finances by Rp622 billion. They are former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas and his Special Assistant Ishfah Abidal Aziz, alias Gus Alex, who have been detained. The two other suspects, who have not yet been detained, are Ismail Adham, Operations Director of PT Makassar Toraja (Maktour); and Asrul Azis Taba, Commissioner of PT Raudah Eksati Utama and also Chairman of Asosiasi Kesthuri.

In handling the Hajj quota case, the KPK is applying Article 2(1) and/or Article 3 of Law No. 31/1999 on the Eradication of Corruption as amended by Law No. 20/2001 (UU Tipikor) in conjunction with Article 55(1) paragraph 1 of the Penal Code, or as referred to in Article 603 or Article 604 of Law No. 1 of 2023 on the Criminal Code in conjunction with Article 20(c) of the KUHP.