KPK Reveals its Investigators Check Hajj Facilities in Saudi Arabia with BPK

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said its investigators checked the facilities for the hajj pilgrimage when they departed for Saudi Arabia some time ago. They went there with the Financial Supervisory Board (BPK).

The departure of investigators with the BPK auditor was in order to investigate allegations of corruption in determining quotas and the implementation of the 2023-2024 Hajj pilgrimage at the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag).

"In checking in Saudi Arabia, the investigators and the BPK conducted a direct review of facilities related to the implementation of the hajj," said KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo to reporters at the KPK Red and White building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Wednesday, December 17.

This finding, said Budi, was immediately investigated by the witnesses. Including when examining the former Minister of Religion (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas on Tuesday, December 16.

"This is still being analyzed after last night's examination. Later, what the results will be, we will wait for the final report from our friends," he said.

Yaqut is known to have undergone a second examination as a witness at the KPK's Red and White building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta on Tuesday, December 16. He was examined for 8.5 hours from 11.42 WIB to 10.12 WIB.

There was no statement made by him regarding the examination. He chose to remain silent when asked about the material investigated by investigators.

"Later, please ask the investigators," said Yaqut briefly.

"Permission, permission," he continued.

As previously reported, the KPK has issued a general investigation order (sprindik) for alleged corruption in adding quotas and organizing the hajj. This institution reasoned that the issuance was carried out so that they could carry out coercive efforts.

The Sprindik general uses Article 2 Paragraph 1 and/or Article 3 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption as amended by Law Number 20 of 2021 jo article 55 paragraph 1-1 of the Criminal Code. This means that there is state loss that occurs due to this corrupt practice.

The state's losses in the 2023-2024 quota and Hajj corruption cases are said to have reached more than Rp1 trillion. This number is still increasing because it is only the initial count of the KPK which continues to coordinate with the Financial Supervisory Board (BPK).

This case started with the provision of 20,000 additional Hajj quotas from the Saudi Arabian government for Indonesia to reduce the queue of pilgrims.

However, recently the distribution turned out to be problematic because it was divided equally, namely 50 percent for regular hajj and 50 percent for special hajj.

In fact, according to the law, the distribution should be 92 percent for regular hajj and 8 percent for special hajj.