KPK Has Pockets of State Losses in the Hajj Quota Case, the Detention of the Former Minister of Foreign Affairs Yaqut and his Staff Wait for Pre-trial

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) said the detention of former Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas and staff in particular, Ishfah Abidal Azis alias Gus Alex, was waiting for a pretrial ruling at the South Jakarta District Court (PN).

This was conveyed by the Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the KPK, Asep Guntur Rahayu, who conveyed the results of the calculation of state losses by the Financial Audit Agency (BPK) had been pocketed since Tuesday, February 24.

"This is after the KN is completed, right, what is the next step? We are still waiting, right, the pre-trial is postponed next week, yes," Asep told reporters at the KPK's Red and White building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Friday, February 27.

Asep said this step was taken in accordance with the new KUHAP. "But of course the results of the calculation of state losses are also one of the proofs," he said.

"That this case, yes, we are carrying out or handling this case as it should be. There are losses and also other elements of the article that we have fulfilled," continued Asep, who had served as the KPK's Director of Investigation.

Yaqut is known to have filed a pretrial to the South Jakarta District Court (PN) on Monday, February 10. The lawsuit was registered with the number 19/Pid.Pra/2026/PN.JKT.SEL.

This pretrial was filed after the KPK 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.