NGOs report religious minister to police

NGOs report religious minister to police

Abdul Khalik, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Eight non-governmental organizations filed a complaint with the
National Police on Friday, against Minister of Religious Affairs
Said Agil Hussein Al-Munawwar over alleged fraud in relation to
the management of the haj pilgrimage.

They accused the minister of "public lies" over the canceled
additional quota of 30,000 Indonesian pilgrims, which he had
earlier claimed was granted by Saudi Arabia.

The abrupt cancellation forced almost 30,000 Muslims to delay
pilgrimage to Mecca this year.

The eight NGOs were the Public Interest Research and Advocacy
Center (Pirac), Maslahat Haji, the Indonesia Corruption Watch
(ICW), the Government Watch (Gowa), Rabhitah Haji Indonesia, the
Indonesian Consumers Foundation (YLKI), the Jakarta Consumers
Council (LKJ), and Center for Legal and Human Rights Advocacy
(Paham).

"We represent eight NGOs filing a complaint against Said Agil
for his decision to receive money from prospective pilgrims
included in the additional quota of 30,000 people, despite the
fact that the government of Saudi Arabia had never agreed to the
quota," Gowa executive director Farid Faqih said.

He said every country had the right to send one person for
every 1,000 of its people to Mecca in the 2004 haj season, and
that Indonesia was entitled to send 205,000 pilgrims because the
country had more than 205 million citizens.

On Sept. 20, Said Agil publicly claimed that Saudi Arabia had
approved Indonesia's proposal for an additional quota of 30,000
pilgrimage candidates in 2004.

The minister later issued Decree No.460/2003 on the additional
quota on Sept. 26.

At least 29,974 more Muslims then registered and paid US$81
million in total to fund their journeys. To prepare for the
pilgrimage, they also had to obtain visas, passports and medical
certificates, and attend haj training courses.

But the minister suddenly announced on Dec. 19 that the 29,974
pilgrimage hopefuls could not leave for Mecca this year because
the Saudi government had canceled the additional quota.

"The truth is that there was a commitment from Saudi Arabia to
send only 204,000 pilgrims, and there was no such a thing as an
additional quota. This contradicts Said Agil's statement," said
Pirac executive director Zaim Saidi.

"Said Agil has violated Article No. 378 of the Criminal Code
on fraudulent acts. He has lied to the public, taken advantage of
the public, and received money from them," he added.

Those who had believed they would travel to Mecca as part of
the additional quota were reportedly angry and shocked. One
candidate allegedly died after hearing he had missed out on his
chance to be a haji.

The ministry had promised earlier to fully refund the money
that the would-be pilgrims had paid several months earlier. But
it was not clear whether the government would repay bank interest
on the money.

The NGOs also submitted an audio cassette recording of a
conversation they claimed had occured between Said Agil's younger
brother, named as Fahmi, and an official in the ministry, as well
as Imam, a catering employee.

"The recording shows the catering owner had to pay Rp 400
million (US$47,058) to the minister in order to win the bid to
supply food for Indonesia's pilgrims. It is additional evidence
for the police," said Zaim.

National Police deputy chief of the corruption crime division
Sr. Comr. Marshudi Hanafi vowed to follow up on the complaint.

"However, it is too early to summon Said Agil. We will begin
studying the case first," he said.