The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Calls Travel Agents Who Refuse To Deposit Money To The Ministry Of Religion Not Getting Additional Hajj Quota

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said travel agents or travel agents who want to get an additional special hajj quota must deposit money to the Ministry of Religion. They can not get a share if they do not give.

This was conveyed by the acting (Plt) Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the KPK Asep Guntur Rahayu regarding the examination of a number of travel agents associations for Hajj organizers. They were asked to provide information regarding the alleged corruption of quotas and the implementation of Hajj in 2023-2024 to the Ministry of Religion.

This case is known to have started because Indonesia received 20,000 additional quotas for Hajj from the Saudi Arabian government in 2023 to reduce queues. However, Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas actually made a rule through a decree whose additional contents were divided equally for special and regular hajj quotas of 50 percent.

The KPK then suspected that there was an error because the law regulates the distribution of quotas, which should be 92 percent for regular Hajj and 8 percent for special Hajj.

The special hajj quota for the additional quota is then traded by the Ministry of Religion to travel agents through the association.

"Yes, the quota is from the Ministry of Religion, the quota is hajj. So, that's an act of arbitrariness sometimes asking for something outside. If it's not given, then the hajj quota can't be obtained, like that," Asep told reporters at the KPK's Merah Putih building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, quoted Thursday, September 11.

This condition, continued Asep, made travel agents want to give money. Because they depend on the Ministry of Religion to get a hajj quota including the distribution of additional hajj quotas.

"Because it is a travel agent, in the context he really depends on the Ministry of Religion to get a quota, that's it. He can't go to other Ministries and get a quota," he said.

"Previously, 2023 also existed, but not as big as in 2024, and also the distribution was still appropriate, if I'm not mistaken, it was in accordance with existing regulations," 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 in 2023-2024. 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).