KPK Says Dito Ariotedjo's Testimony Helps Investigators Investigate Corruption in the Hajj Quota Discrepancies

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said that the testimony of the former Minister of Youth and Sports (Menpora) Dito Ariotedjo further strengthened the problem in the distribution of 20,000 additional Hajj quotas from the Saudi Arabian Government.

This was conveyed by KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo after Dito underwent an examination as a witness to the alleged corruption in determining quotas and the implementation of the 2023-2024 hajj pilgrimage at the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag).

"We see that Pak Dito can explain what the investigators need because Pak Dito at that time went to Saudi Arabia with a group from the Indonesian Government," Budi told reporters at the KPK's Red and White building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Friday, January 23.

"So this also strengthens the information or evidence obtained by the KPK investigators related to the discretion carried out by the Ministry of Religion," he continued.

Even so, Budi emphasized that Dito's statement about the problematic discretion would not stand alone. The summoning of witnesses continues to be carried out to strengthen the actions of the two suspects, namely the former Minister of Religion (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas and staff in particular, Ishfah Abidal Aziz alias Gus Alex can be proven.

Moreover, from the beginning, the KPK believed that the problematic discretion was not in line with the purpose of the additional quota given by the Saudi government to break the queue of pilgrims.

"Well, the information from Mr. Dito will certainly then help the KPK investigators to complete the evidence that has been obtained previously."

Meanwhile, Dito after being examined said there was no specific discussion regarding the addition of the quota for Indonesian pilgrims who ended up having problems when accompanying the 7th President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo (Jokowi) to Saudi Arabia in October 2023.

The meeting with the Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KAS) Mohammed bin Salman al-Saud was said to discuss more about support for Saudi Arabia as the host of the World Cup or World Cup which is an international football event. "And after lunch, I remember very well that there was a discussion from the Prime Minister offering Indonesia anything that must be helped," said the Golkar Party politician after undergoing an examination.

"At that time I remember there was an investment, there was also at that time if I'm not mistaken IKN, and also one of the main topics must be to Saudi Arabia, it must be what is in the minds of all people, of course, the hajj. That was conveyed by the President," continued Dito.

Furthermore, Dito admitted that he had explained all his statements to investigators. "And hopefully it can help the KPK which is currently completing this case," he said.

As previously reported, the KPK has announced two suspects in the corruption case for determining quotas and organizing the 2023-2024 Hajj period at the Ministry of Religion. They are former Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas and staff in particular, Ishfah Abidal Aziz alias Gus Alex.

The determination of the suspect was made later, because the KPK investigated the alleged corruption by using a general investigation order (sprindik) issued on August 7, 2025.

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 KPK said that the state's losses in the 2023-2024 quota and Hajj management corruption cases were said to have reached more than Rp. 1 trillion. The suspicion began 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.