Religious ministry officials' assets questioned

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.