Yaqut Denies Ordering Subordinates to Trade Additional Hajj Quotas
Former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas claimed he never instructed his subordinates to buy and sell additional hajj quotas from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Yaqut also said he did not order any relaxation of the rules governing the hajj pilgrimage.
Yaqut made the statement after attending a hearing in the alleged hajj quota corruption case, with the agenda of reading the exception or objection, at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Tuesday (18/8/2026).
“I never ordered my staff to commit corruption, trade quotas, or relax regulations. There was none. I never did that,” Yaqut told journalists.
Yaqut instead claimed he reminded his subordinates not to engage in corrupt acts in every preparation and implementation of the hajj pilgrimage. He said he had instructed that the hajj must always prioritise the comfort and safety of pilgrims.
“What I emphasised was actually the opposite. No corrupt acts are allowed, and every implementation of the hajj and its preparation must be based on the comfort and safety of the pilgrims’ lives. Full stop. No excuses. And that was achieved. Alhamdulillah,” Yaqut said.
In addition, Yaqut accused the KPK prosecutors’ indictment of being imprecise and incomplete. He considered that the KPK prosecutors had mixed ministerial policy with technical policy that should be the domain of the directorate general.
“Ministerial policy has been mixed up with technical policy that should be the domain of the directorate general. So it has been directed to make the policy the Minister’s fault. Whereas it should not be so,” Yaqut said.
Therefore, Yaqut said the alleged hajj quota corruption case should be a policy matter handled by the administrative court, not the corruption court.
“As was conveyed, our opinion is indeed that. This should be, the locus is in policy. It is the policy that should be questioned. If someone commits corruption, a criminal act of corruption, then that is what should be processed,” Yaqut said.