KPK Investigate Money Flow Related To Corruption Hajj Quota To The Ministry Of Religion

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) continues to explore the flow of money to the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) regarding the distribution of hajj quotas in 2023-2024 which ended up having problems.

KPK spokesman Budi Prasetyo said that this money allegedly came from the travel agent or travel agent for Hajj and Umrah to the association that oversees it. There have been a number of witnesses who have been questioned regarding the flow.

"Of course the KPK is investigating the flow of money flowing from pilgrims or managers of Hajj travel agencies to related parties at the Ministry of Religion," Budi told reporters at the KPK's Merah Putih building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Monday, September 1.

"This is explored, including related to this flow, we are also investigating from witnesses who have been summoned before, either from associations or from pilgrims traveling," he continued.

Meanwhile, when asked about whether there was a flow of money to former Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, Budi did not want to answer much.

"That goes into the investigation material," he said.

The KPK has asked Yaqut for testimony as a witness in the corruption case of quotas and the implementation of Hajj in 2023-2024 at the Ministry of Religion.

The former minister from the era of the 7th President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo (Jokowi), was questioned by investigators about 7 hours from the morning. After being questioned, not much was conveyed by Yaqut.

"Only deepening the information I conveyed at the previous examination. So, there is an in-depth investigation," Yaqut told reporters.

Yaqut claimed to have received dozens of questions from investigators. When asked about the distribution of 20,000 additional hajj quotas from the troubled Saudi Arabian government, the former minister of the era of the 7th President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo (Jokowi) did not want to talk much.

"The material was asked by investigators. ... I conveyed information about the investigation related to what was asked at the first examination," he said.

Previously reported, the KPK has issued a general investigation warrant (sprindik) for alleged corruption in the addition of quotas and the implementation of Hajj. This institution reasoned that the issuance was carried out so that they could make forced efforts.

The general Sprindik uses Article 2 Paragraph 1 and/or Article 3 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended by Law Number 20 of 2021 in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code. This means that there are state losses that occur due to this corrupt practice.

State losses in the corruption case of quota and Hajj for the period 2023-2024 are said to have reached more than IDR 1 trillion. This amount is still increasing because it is only the initial calculation of the KPK which continues to coordinate with the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK).

This case began with the provision of 20,000 additional Hajj quotas from the Saudi Arabian government for Indonesia to reduce queues for pilgrims.

However, recently the distribution turned out to be problematic because it was divided equally, namely 50 percent for regular Hajj and 50 percent for special Hajj.

In fact, based on the law, the distribution should be 92 percent for regular Hajj and 8 percent for special Hajj.