KPK Receives Audience Of The Ministry Of Hajj And Umrah Amid Investigation Of Corruption Hajj Quota

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) conducted an audience with the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah at the KPK's Merah Putih building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta today.

KPK spokesman Budi Prasetyo said this hearing was related to efforts to prevent corruption related to the implementation of the pilgrimage.

This step is important in the midst of efforts to take action against corruption in quotas and the implementation of Hajj in 2023-2024 at the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag).

"Given the implementation of this pilgrimage, the KPK does not only support it through prosecution efforts but also prevention," Budi said in a written statement, Friday, October 3.

In this activity, Budi explained, the KPK will explain the study of corruption-prone points at the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah. "And provide recommendations for improving the system in the implementation of this worship," he said.

The KPK hopes that through these two approaches, prosecution and prevention will be a trigger for the improvement of one of these public services. We are also always open in synergy and collaboration with ministries, institutions, and local governments in efforts to eradicate corruption, one of which is to support the realization of good governance," continued Budi.

The Minister of Hajj and Umrah Mochamad Irfan Yusuf was present to lead the newly created group of ministries. He was accompanied by a number of people.

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.