Witness: 50:50 Hajj Additional Quota Regulation was Yaqut's Policy

Slamet, a Middle Expert Planner at the Secretariat of the Directorate General of Hajj and Umrah Organistion of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, revealed that the regulation regarding the additional Hajj quota of 20,000—split 50 per cent for special Hajj and 50 per cent for regular Hajj—was a policy of the former Minister of Religious Affairs for the 2019-2024 period, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas.

This statement was made by Slamet when summoned by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutors during the trial of the alleged corruption case concerning the 2023-2024 additional Hajj quota at the Corruption Court of the Central Jakarta District Court on Thursday (10/9). Slamet testified for the defendants, Yaqut and his special staff member, Ishfah Abidal Azis, also known as Gus Alex.

Initially, the prosecutor confirmed discussions regarding an online meeting to discuss the Minister of Religious Affairs’ Decree issued in December 202lar. Based on information obtained from Ahmad Abdullah (Secretary of the Directorate General of PHU), Slamet revealed that Yaqut issued the policy to split the additional quota for regular and special Hajj at 50 per cent each.

The online meeting was reportedly attended by several special staff of the Minister of Religious Affairs, as well as Level 1 and Level 2 officials within the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Slamet did not attend that specific meeting.

“As I understand it, the 50-50 split of the additional quota violated the sense of justice and Law Number 8 of 2019, and violated the principle of fairness, particularly towards regular Hajj pilgrims. Furthermore, the division of the additional quota also violated the results of the meeting and working meeting between Commission VIII and the Ministry of Religious Affairs on 27 November 2023, specifically regarding the BPIH (Hajj Organistion Cost) benefit value, which still used a 92:8 composition (92 per cent regular Hajj and 8 per cent special Hajj). In its progression, the 50-50 quota division became a widely discussed topic within the Ministry of Religious Affairs until its conclusion,” the prosecutor read from Slamet’s interrogation report (BAP) during the trial.

There are four defendants being legally processed in the alleged corruption case of the 2023-2024 additional Hajj quota, which is suspected of causing state financial losses amounting to Rp622,090,207,066.41 (approximately Rp622 billion), according to the Investigative Audit Report from the Audit Board of Indonesia (BPK RI).

The defendants are Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, special staff member Ishfah Abidal Azis (Gus Alex), Operational Director of Maktour, Ismail Adham, and the Chairperson of the Kesthuri Association and Commissioner of PT Raudah Eksati Utama, Asrul Azis Taba. The case is also suspected of enriching several other parties, including 313 Special Hajj Organisers (PIHK).

According to the prosecution’s construction of the case presented by the KPK on Thursday, 12 March, the case also involves private parties. One of those mentioned is the President Director of PT Makassar Toraja (Maktour), Fuad Hasan Masyhur. It is alleged that evidence was also destroyed during the KPK’s search of the Hajj and Umrah travel agency’s office.

Fuad, acting as the Advisory Board of the Forum Silaturahmi Association of Hajj and Umrah Travel (SATHU), allegedly