New Chapter in Hajj Quota Case: Two New Suspects and Rebuttal of Yaqut's Claim of Not Receiving Money

The alleged corruption case concerning the 2023-2024 Hajj quota has entered a new phase. Following the designation of former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas and his former special staff member, Ishfah Abidal Aziz alias Gus Alex, as suspects, the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has named two new suspects on Monday (30/3/2026). The two suspects are Ismail Adham, Operational Director of PT Makassar Toraja (Maktour), and Asrul Azis Taba, Commissioner of PT Raudah Eksati Utama and Chairman of the Indonesian Hajj and Umrah Travel Association (Kesthuri). “The KPK has again designated two individuals as suspects, namely ISM as Operational Director of PT Maktour and ASR as Commissioner of PT Raudah Eksati Utama and Chairman of the Kesthuri Association,” stated KPK Deputy for Enforcement and Execution Asep Guntur Rahayu during a press conference at the Red and White Building in Jakarta on Monday. He explained that Ismail Adham provided US$30,000 to Gus Alex to facilitate the arrangement of additional special Hajj quotas. In addition, Ismail also gave sums of money to the Director General of Hajj and Umrah Organisers (Dirjen PHU) of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Hilman Latief, amounting to US$5,000 and 16,000 SAR (Saudi Riyal). “The receipt of these sums by IAA (Gus Alex) and HL (Hilman Latief) is alleged to represent YCQ as the Minister of Religious Affairs at the time,” he said. Meanwhile, Asrul Azis Taba also provided US$406,000 to Gus Alex for the same purpose. Asep stated that as a result of these payments, eight Special Hajj Service Providers (PIHK) affiliated with AST benefited unlawfully in 2024, totalling Rp 40.8 billion. “The receipt of these sums by IAA (Gus Alex) and HL (Hilman Latief) is alleged to represent YCQ as the Minister of Religious Affairs at the time,” he added. Although both suspects gave money to Ministry of Religious Affairs officials, the KPK is not applying bribery articles but rather those governing state losses. Asep explained that this approach was taken because Ismail and Asrul are also suspected of receiving benefits from this Hajj quota corruption practice. Asep noted that the case’s construction simultaneously rebuts Yaqut’s claim that he did not receive any money related to the Hajj quota corruption. “So the polemic that has been repeatedly raised about not benefiting and so on, never receiving, well, here there are those giving sums of money to his representatives,” he said. Previously, the KPK had also designated Yaqut and Gus Alex as suspects in the Hajj quota corruption case. Both are charged under Articles 2 and 3 of the Corruption Eradication Law (UU Tipikor), which address state losses. Based on calculations by the KPK and the Financial Audit Board, the state loss from this corruption case amounts to Rp 622 billion.