Head Of BPKH Fadlul Imansyah To Lecturer Khalid Basalamah Called By KPK Regarding Corruption Hajj Quota

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) summoned six witnesses regarding the alleged corruption in quotas and the implementation of the 2023 '2024 Hajj pilgrimage.

Those summoned included the Head of the Hajj Financial Management Agency (BPKH) Fadlul Imansyah and the lecturer and owner of the Uhud Tour travel agency, Khalid Zeed Abdullah Basalamah or Khalid Basalamah.

"The examination was carried out at the KPK's Red and White Building," said KPK spokesman Budi Prasetyo in a written statement, Tuesday, September 2.

Apart from Fadlul and Khalid, investigators also summoned four other witnesses, namely Irwanto as Deputy Financer of BPKH; Firman Muhammad Nur, General Chair of the Muslim Association of Hajj and Umrah Organizers of the Republic of Indonesia (Amphuri) as well as President Director of PT Kafilah Maghfirah Wisata; Kushardono from PT Tisafa Multazam Utama; and Agus Andriyanto, Head of Branch Nur Ramadhan Wisata Surabaya.

"The KPK has scheduled an examination of witnesses suspected of corruption related to the hajj quota for the implementation of the 2023 '2024 Hajj pilgrimage," said Budi.

Fadlul and Khalid had previously been questioned when this case was still under investigation. However, the KPK did not specify the results of the request for information because the nature of the investigation was closed.

The KPK has issued a general investigation warrant (sprindik) for alleged corruption in quotas and the implementation of Hajj. This step allows the KPK to make forced efforts in the form of examination of witnesses and searches.

The 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 1st Criminal Code. This means that this practice is suspected of causing state financial losses.

State losses in this case are said to reach more than IDR 1 trillion. This amount is still an initial calculation that the KPK continues to coordinate with the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK).

The case began with an additional quota of 20,000 pilgrims given by the Government of Saudi Arabia to Indonesia. This additional quota should reduce the queue of prospective pilgrims.

However, the distribution of quotas is considered problematic. Quota is divided equally, 50 percent for regular Hajj and 50 percent for special Hajj, respectively. In fact, the rules say 92 percent of quotas must be allocated for regular Hajj, and only 8 percent for special Hajj.