Achievement Leads to Imprisonment: Suryadharma Ali's Personal Plea in Hajj Corruption Trial

JAKARTA - Suryadharma Ali was once considered to have brought significant progress to the Indonesian Hajj administration. The Minister of Religious Affairs from 2009 to 2014 was able to increase funding and the quality of facilities for Hajj pilgrims. Suryadharma's presence initially earned praise.

Everything changed when the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) suspected Suryadharma of involvement in corrupt practices in the 2010-2013 Hajj administration. Suryadharma was accused of abusing his authority regarding Hajj administration, causing losses to the state. He defended himself with a plea (defense note): achievements are rewarded with imprisonment.

No one doubts that the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag) chose to assume the authority as regulator and operator of Hajj administration. This narrative is as outlined in the Hajj Law (Law Number 34 of 2009).

This situation requires the Ministry of Religious Affairs to work hard. Hajj affairs are a huge responsibility. The Ministry must manage Hajj funds, which reach IDR 70 trillion annually plus interest. Suryadharma is trying to meet this challenge.

The Minister of Religious Affairs from 2009 to 2014 was confident he could improve the Hajj administration in Indonesia. However, Suryadharma's efforts were not easy. The Hajj financial situation, inherited from the previous minister, was poorly managed.

Ninety percent of Hajj deposits were managed in low-interest checking accounts. This situation was exacerbated by the banks receiving the large deposits. Suryadharma then shifted the management of Hajj funds from checking accounts to deposits and sukuk.

He also began selecting only high-quality banks to accommodate Hajj funds. This situation generated profits that subsequently improved facilities for Hajj pilgrims. These profits enabled the government to provide substantial subsidies for Hajj costs.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) viewed this differently. The KPK named Suryadharma a suspect on May 22, 2014. Suryadharma was accused of corrupt practices in the form of involvement in the appointment of Hajj Pilgrimage Organizing Officers (PPIH), the appointment of Amirul Hajj companions, accommodation, and the misappropriation of remaining Hajj quotas for the 2010-2013 Hajj period.

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) deemed Suryadharma's decision to have caused losses of IDR 1 trillion. Suryadharma subsequently resigned from his position as Minister of Religious Affairs. He is attempting to confront the charges against him.

"I leave everything to the KPK, which is currently conducting an investigation. I can't go into too much detail, because organizing the Hajj with a total of 194,000 pilgrims is no easy task."

"I was also asked about that. I don't know exactly whether Commission VIII is involved in such manipulation. I don't know if any members of Commission VIII are involved in these businesses. That's where the problem arises, including the housing (Hajj accommodation) being categorized as poor. The housing is owned by one person, and we were asked whether or not to take it all. Our housing team felt pressured by time constraints and competition from other countries who also needed housing," Suryadharma said, as quoted by ANTARA on May 22, 2014.

Suryadharma Ali's Plea

The legal process against Suryadharma continues. The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutor is demanding an 11-year prison sentence. This is all because Suryadharma is considered to have caused state financial losses. However, this is not the financial loss that the KPK has stated, amounting to IDR 1 trillion.

Surydharma caused the state losses of IDR 27,283,090,068 and 17,967,405 Saudi riyals due to abuse of authority. This situation led Suryadharma to be accused of profiting IDR 2.23 billion from the ministerial operational fund (DOM) and obtaining a discount on the kiswah (the cloth covering the Kaaba).

Surydharma refused to accept the accusations. He maintained he had not committed any corruption. The accusations were made because of his authority as Minister of Religious Affairs. Suryadharma's frustration was expressed in his plea, read standing at the Jakarta Corruption Court on January 4, 2016.

The 1,500-page plea (not all of which was read) was titled "Achievements Rewarded by Bars." The plea felt personal to Suryadharma.

He revealed his achievements in advancing the Hajj administration during his leadership of the Ministry of Religious Affairs. He was confident that SBY agreed with him that the Hajj pilgrimage had made significant progress.

"Secondly, this accountability is conveyed to President 2009-2014, Dr. H. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono. He was the man who placed extraordinary trust in me as Minister of Cooperatives and SMEs from 2004-2009 and Minister of Religious Affairs from 2009-2014."

"Believe in the government led by Mr. SBY. The implementation of government duties in the areas of religious development, religious education, and Hajj and Umrah administration has seen much progress, which is encouraging," Suryadharma stated, as quoted by ANTARA on January 4, 2016.

He emphasized that leading the Hajj pilgrimage is no easy task. Everything requires swift decisions. Take, for example, the issue of Hajj accommodation, which requires processing. If it takes even a little longer, another country will take over the location.

Suryadharma also expressed his gratitude to his entire family for attending. His plea touched the hearts of everyone in the room, and his family wept with emotion.

Despite Suryadharma's efforts in his plea, he was not spared. Suryadharma was still sentenced to six years in prison (increased to ten years in further legal proceedings) and a fine of IDR 300 million, or an additional three months in prison, by a panel of judges at the Jakarta Corruption Court on January 11, 2016.

He was found guilty of causing state losses of IDR 27,283,090,068 and 17,967,405 Saudi riyals. He was also found to have profited IDR 2.23 billion from the DOM and obtained a kiswah (traditional Islamic clothing).

Suryadharma also serves as an example of how the law can implicate state officials in cases of state losses. Meanwhile, allegations of misappropriation of funds from the DOM have been denied by Jusuf Kalla, Vice President from 2004 to 2009 and 2014 to 2019. Kalla emphasized that ministers are free to use 80 percent of the DOM without accountability, while only 20 percent requires accountability.