Religious ministry officials' assets questioned

Muninggar Sri Saraswati, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

A coalition for haj reform urged the Civil Servants Wealth Report Audit Commission (KPKPN) on Wednesday to reexamine the wealth of high-ranking officials in the Ministry of Religious Affairs, including that of Minister Said Agiel Al-Munawwar.

Fariq Faqih, spokesman for the Reform Coalition for Haj, or Korup Haji, told KPKPN chairman Jusuf Sjakir the coalition suspected that some officials within the ministry had enriched themselves from the haj.

The coalition consists of several non-governmental organizations including the Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW), the Government Watch and the Indonesia Consumer Foundation (YLKI).

Fariq pointed to a report that Minister Said Agiel's wealth had increased from Rp 1.22 billion in 2001 to Rp 2.54 billion in 2003.

"The increase is not reasonable given the fact that a minister earns less than Rp 20 million a month," said Farid, adding that religious ministry officials were likely getting a commission from companies involved in the haj pilgrimage such as travel agents and catering services.

The coalition urged the KPKPN to look closely at those officials within the ministry who head divisions handling the pilgrimage.

"We want a transparent haj management. The government's way of handling haj business is very prone to corruption, so its no wonder we always face problems in haj arrangements almost every year," said a member of the coalition.

Each year, Indonesia sends more haj pilgrims to Saudi Arabia than any other country. This year the Saudi government has given Indonesia 205,000 spaces for the haj.

Unlike other Muslim countries where the private sector is allowed to handle haj travel, in Indonesia the government, through the religious affairs ministry, oversees arrangements for the pilgrimage.

This year, as many as 193,000 haj pilgrims using the regular service will pay some US$2,500 each, while the rest of the pilgrims will pay up to $4,500 each.

The ministry is responsible for deciding the haj allocations for each province, for both the regular haj travel and the special haj travel, which is relatively more expensive.

It also arranges all business related to the pilgrimage, including airlines, catering, housing and travel expenses in Saudi Arabia.

The religious affairs ministry, which traditionally cooperates with state-owned Garuda Indonesia, was strongly criticized for appointing the ailing Indonesia Airlines to transport pilgrims last year.

It ended with thousands of haj pilgrims from across the country stranded at the Soekarno-Hatta airport when the private airline failed to live up to its contract.

This year, an employee of a catering service company complained that the brother of Minister Said Agiel required the company to pay him a commission in return for a contract.

The coalition has reported the case, complete with a record of the talks between the employee and the minister's brother, to the police.

The religious ministry has been under fire following its announcement that almost 30,000 Indonesians would have to delay until 2005 their trip to Mecca.

The ministry earlier promised that the Saudi Arabian government would maintain its quota of 235,000 Indonesian haj pilgrims for 2004.

All Muslims who can afford it are required to make the haj at least once in their lives; many Indonesians sell their belongings to pay the haj fee.

The first batch of this year's pilgrims left for Mecca on Dec. 30 from Jakarta. The pilgrimage peaks on the Islamic Day of Sacrifice, which falls on Feb. 1.