Attorney for Sebut Ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas Never Investigated for 2 Sprindik Cases of Corruption in Hajj Quota
JAKARTA - The lawyer for former Minister of Religion (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, Mellisa Anggraeni, questioned the steps of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) which never examined his client for two investigation orders (sprindik) issued related to alleged corruption in determining quotas and the implementation of the 2023-2024 hajj.
Mellisa explained that the three sprindik in this case were issued on August 8, 2025; November 21, 2025; and the most recent one on January 8, 2026. However, her client was only ever called in for questioning based on the policy that was first issued.
"Our client has never received the right to be summoned as a potential suspect. Imagine in three sprindik, our client has only ever been summoned in the first sprindik," Mellisa told reporters at the South Jakarta District Court (PN), Tuesday, March 3.
"The strange thing is, the summons on December 11 to attend on December 16 still refers to the sprindik on August 8 even though there is a sprindik on November 21, 2025," he continued.
This condition makes his party question the reason for the anti-corruption commission. "What is it, why have we never been called on the 21 November 2025 and the latest sprint. ... from there we have seen irregularities," said Mellisa.
Not stopping there, Mellisa also questioned the absence of a letter of determination of suspects in accordance with the new Criminal Procedure Code.
"We only received a letter of notification of the determination of suspects. In fact, it should be submitted," said the lawyer.
As previously reported, the former Minister of Religion (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas 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.