Hajj Budget Of IDR 5 Trillion Leaks Per Year, KPK Arranges Prevention Studies

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) through the Deputy for Prevention and Monitoring is preparing a study to prevent corruption related to the implementation of the pilgrimage. Based on reports, every year there are allegations of a budget leak of IDR 5 trillion per year.

Acting (Plt) Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the KPK Asep Guntur Rahayu said this prevention effort was carried out in line with the investigation into the alleged corruption of quotas and the implementation of Hajj in 2023-2024 at the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag). Improvements must be made so that the implementation of worship is no longer a field of corruption.

"So it means there is a system that needs to be improved," Asep told reporters quoted on Thursday, September 2.

Asep did not specify how the study process was going. He only said that there was ongoing monitoring, including exploring information on the leakage of the hajj budget of IDR 5 trillion each year.

This allegation was conveyed by the Deputy Minister of Hajj and Umrah (Wamenhaj) Dahnil Anzar Simanjuntak. Indications of various leaks ranging from the air transportation budget, consumption, to hotels.

"Of course, this Hajj issue has also had studies from the Monitoring Directorate," he said.

"And later with information related to the hajj budget, which leaks around Rp. 5 trillion every year, monitoring can be carried out by the Monitoring Directorate and an evaluation will be carried out. Asep continued, who also serves as Director of KPK Investigation.

After the evaluation was submitted, Asep said, the Ministry of Hajj is expected to anticipate budget leaks in the next implementation.

"Obstructed operational standards, or maybe if there is fraud by several places or several people or several groups, for example, it can be replaced, whether the catering organizer is replaced, the inn organizer is replaced or something else, or the person is replaced, the officer and others are based on monitoring results," he explained.

"If the results of the monitoring will be found that a criminal act of corruption has occurred, it can also be directly conveyed to the prosecution, deputy for prosecution," said Asep.

Previously reported, the KPK said that allegations of corruption related to quotas and the implementation of Hajj in 2023-2024 at the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) would enter a new chapter. In the near future, the suspects will be determined because of the process that runs using a general investigation warrant (sprindik).

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 number 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 stems from the provision of 20,000 additional Hajj quotas from the Saudi Arabian government for Indonesia to reduce queues for pilgrims. However, the distribution turned out to be problematic because it was divided equally, namely 50 percent for regular Hajj and 50 percent for special Hajj based on the Decree (SK) of the Minister of Religion signed by Yaqut Cholil Qoumas.

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

Later, the distribution of problems was allegedly due to money from the Hajj and Umrah travel parties as well as the associations that oversee the Ministry of Religion. After getting the allotment, they sold the additional quota to prospective pilgrims.

During the investigation process, a number of parties have been questioned, including Yaqut Cholil Qoumas. Investigators have also searched his house and found documents and electronic evidence that are suspected to be related.