Allegedly Accepting Corruption Money for Hajj Quota, Stafsus Ex-Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Bungkam Usai Diperiksa KPK

JAKARTA - Former special staff of the Minister of Religion for the period 2020-2024, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, Ishfah Abidal Aziz alias Gus Alex, was silent after undergoing an examination by investigators from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) today.

He was stingy with his words, including when he was mentioned as a figure who collected money from the special haj (PIHK) organizers to the Ministry of Religion to get additional quotas given by the Saudi government.

Ishfah was examined as a witness even though he had the status of a suspect in the corruption case of determining the quota corruption and the implementation of the 2023-2024 hajj in the Ministry of Religion. He underwent an examination from 09.38 WIB and was completed at around 17.28 WIB.

"Ask the investigators (about being a collector of money from PIHK, ed)," Ishfah told reporters at the KPK's Red and White building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Monday, January 26.

There was no other statement made by Ishfah. He chose to rush out of the lobby of the anti-corruption commission's office.

Meanwhile, KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo had revealed Ishfah's role so that he was named a suspect along with former Minister of Religion Yaqut. He said that there was an active one that was carried out in the process of discretionary distribution of 20,000 additional Hajj quota.

Then, investigators also sniffed that there was a flow of money in the decision-making process. "From the PIHK or Haji Travel Bureau to individuals in the Ministry of Religion," Budi told reporters, Friday, January 9.

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.

During the course of this case, a number of parties have been examined. Among them are former Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas to travel agents or travel agents who organize special hajj (PIHK), including Fuad Hasan Masyhur as the boss of Maktour.