Pre-trial Rejected, Status of Former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut as Suspect Upheld

A single judge at Jakarta South District Court has rejected former Religious Affairs Minister (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas’s pre-trial motion regarding his suspect status in the hajj quota corruption case. The judge declared Yaqut’s status as a suspect valid.

“The motion for pre-trial review by the petitioner is rejected in its entirety,” stated single judge Sulistyo Muhamad Dwi Putro when reading the judgment in pre-trial case number 19/Pid.Pra/2026/PN JKT.SEL at Jakarta South District Court on Wednesday (11 March 2026).

The judge stated that the KPK’s designation of Yaqut as a suspect followed proper procedures and applicable regulations. The judge determined that Yaqut’s pre-trial motion arguments touched on the substantive case.

“The court imposes case costs on the petitioner amounting to nil,” the judge stated.

For context, the hajj quota corruption case relates to the allocation of an additional 20,000 pilgrims to the 2024 hajj quota when Yaqut Cholil Qoumas served as Religious Affairs Minister. The additional quota was intended to reduce the waiting list or queue duration for regular Indonesian hajj pilgrims, which could reach 20 years or more.

Prior to the additional quota, Indonesia received a hajj quota of 221,000 pilgrims in 2024. Following the increase, the total Indonesian hajj quota for 2024 reached 241,000. The problem began when the additional quota was divided equally: 10,000 for regular hajj and 10,000 for special hajj.

However, the Hajj Law stipulates that the special hajj quota represents only 8 percent of Indonesia’s total hajj quota. Consequently, Indonesia ultimately used 213,320 slots for regular pilgrims and 27,680 for special hajj pilgrims in 2024.

The KPK stated that the policy during Yaqut’s tenure resulted in 8,400 regular hajj pilgrims who had already queued for more than 14 years and were expected to depart after the additional quota in 2024 ultimately failing to make the journey.

Following its investigation, the KPK designated Yaqut and his former special staff member, Ishfah Abidal Aziz (IAA) alias Gus Alex, as suspects. The KPK confirmed it had collected substantial evidence supporting the suspect designation. Yaqut has not been detained at present.

Yaqut subsequently challenged his suspect status by filing a pre-trial motion at Jakarta South District Court. Yaqut requested that the single judge at Jakarta South District Court declare the KPK’s suspect designation letter against him null and void.