Public Urges Suspect Determination Of Hajj Quota Case, KPK: We Want To Be Fast But There Is A Process

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) understands that the public is waiting for the determination of the suspect in the quota corruption case and the implementation of Hajj in 2023-2024 at the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag). However, there are processes that must be carried out such as collecting witness statements and calculating state losses.

"Indeed, we also realize that maybe not only colleagues here, the people at home are also waiting for this. We also really want to finish it quickly," said Acting Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the KPK Asep Guntur Rahayu quoted on Thursday, October 23.

"But yes, we have to go through a process like that, yes. So we have to go through a step-by process, it's impossible for us to miss those processes too," he continued.

Asep further said that all processes that were running in the investigation had to be carried out carefully. "It will be tested in court," he said.

"So that if we go through these processes, of course, there will be things that will be missed. And we don't want that together," said Asep, who also serves as Director of KPK Investigations.

Previously reported, the KPK is investigating allegations of corruption related to quotas and the implementation of Hajj in 2023-2024 at the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag). No suspects have been named for 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.