KPK Optimis Praper Ex-Minister of Foreign Affairs Yaqut Ditolak PN Jaksel: Formil and Material Aspects are Fulfilled

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) believes that the pre-trial lawsuit filed by former Minister of Religion (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas regarding the determination of suspects in the quota corruption case and the determination of the 2023-2024 hajj will be rejected by the South Jakarta District Court (PN).

The statement was made by KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo ahead of the verdict on the pretrial lawsuit read today, March 11. According to him, the process of determining the suspect is in accordance with the rules and all legal aspects have been met.

"KPK is certainly optimistic, yes, in the pre-trial hearing in the Hajj quota case because we ensure that all processes carried out both in formal and material aspects, we have complied with the applicable legal provisions," Budi told reporters, quoted Wednesday, March 11.

"Including in the determination of the suspects, it has been based on the adequacy of evidence," he continued.

Budi also invited the public to monitor the pre-trial hearing and handling of the haj quota case. Because, the alleged corruption has caused losses to the state treasury and has an impact on religious activities.

"We see that the construction of the case is not only about state financial losses but also has social impacts felt by the community, especially prospective pilgrims," he said.

The state's losses, Budi said, were allegedly due to the allocation of 20,000 additional Hajj quotas from the Saudi Arabian government to Indonesia which was not appropriate, namely 92 percent for regular Hajj and 8 percent for kgusus Hajj.

"Then in the construction of the case, it is suspected that there are a number of money flows from these travel parties to parties in the Ministry of Religion," he said.

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.