When asked about the alleged illegal gain of Maktour Rp27.8 billion in the Hajj case, Fuad Hasan Masyhur chose to laugh. 

JAKARTA - Maktour Travel boss Fuad Hasan Masyhur did not give an answer about the alleged illegal gain or illegal gain that his company had achieved in the corruption case of determining the 2023-2024 Hajj quota at the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag). He just laughed when asked about the findings that had been submitted by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) some time ago.

This moment occurred after he conducted an examination at the KPK's Merah Putih building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Thursday, June 18. Fuad was questioned as a witness since morning and finished at around 14.40 WIB.

In addition to laughing, he also denied being involved with his subordinate, Ismail Adham as the Director of Operations of Maktour Travel.

"That's what you said," said Fuad briefly after undergoing an examination.

Fuad, who also serves as the Board of Trustees of the Silaturahmi Forum of the Association of Hajj and Umrah Travel (SATHU), stated that his presence today was in the form of his responsibility to provide testimony. He admitted that he did not know about the alleged flow of haj quota money that also flowed into the Special Committee for the Hak Angket Haji DPR RI 2024.

"Of course I don't understand at all," said Fuad.

"I don't understand at all," he continued.

This is a rescheduling of the examination after he had not met the call on June 15 and 2, 2026.

On June 2, Fuad reasoned that he was still in Saudi Arabia to carry out a series of haj rituals. He also asked for a rescheduling and agreed on June 15, 2026.

However, on that date, Fuad wrote a letter to investigators to reschedule the examination agenda because of declining health conditions.

The KPK previously named two new suspects in the Hajj quota corruption case, namely Ismail Adhan as the Director of Operations of Maktour Travel and Asrul Azis Taba who is the former General Chairman of the Indonesian Hajj and Umrah Travel Association (Kesthuri). The two are suspected of plotting to get additional Hajj quotas from the Saudi government even giving money.

Ismail is said to have given money to Ishfah Abidal Azis, who is a former special staff of the Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas worth 30 thousand US dollars. Then, he gave money to Abdul Latief as the Director General of Haji and Umrah (Dirjen PHU) Ministry of Religion with details of 5,000 US dollars and 16,000 Saudi riyals.

This act then made Maktour obtain an illegal profit in 2024 worth Rp. 27.8 billion.

Meanwhile, Asrul is said to have given money worth 406 thousand US dollars. From this gift, eight special haj organizers (PIHK) under the auspices of Kesthuri received illegal profits of up to Rp. 40.8 billion.

The determination of the two is an expansion of the corruption case of the haj quota which had previously ensnared Yaqut and Ishfah. This suspected corruption began with the provision of 20,000 additional haj quotas from the Saudi Arabian government to Indonesia in 2023-2024.

Based on Law Number 8 of 2019 concerning the Implementation of the Hajj and Umrah and the results of the agreement of the Panja Meeting of Commission VIII of the DPR RI, the special hajj quota should be set at 8 percent of the total quota, while the remaining 92 percent is intended for regular hajj.

However, Yaqut as the Minister of Religion at that time allegedly unilaterally changed its composition. Using the maneuver of issuing the Minister of Religion Decree (KMA) which was not disseminated transparently, he divided the additional Hajj quota into a 50 percent scheme for regular Hajj and 50 percent for special Hajj.

Meanwhile, Ishfah Abidal Aziz implemented the policy by relaxing the rules for special hajj pilgrims. He is suspected of arranging the filling of the remaining special hajj quota to be handed over to the proposal of the Special Hajj Service (PIHK) or travel agents which should be in accordance with the national order number as regulated by law.

In return for these accelerated facilities, Gus Alex instructed his subordinates to collect illegal levies or fees from travel parties, which were ultimately charged to prospective special pilgrims. In 2023, the amount of fees set at USD5,000 or around Rp84.4 million per pilgrim.

Meanwhile, in the 2024 Hajj, the collection rate was agreed at least USD2,000 to USD2,500 per pilgrim.

The billions of rupiah from the collection of fees are suspected to have flowed into the pockets of Gus Yaqut, Gus Alex, and a number of other officials in the Ministry of Religion.

Then there is an allegation that some of the funds were deliberately prepared and used to condition the Special Hajj Committee (Pansus) which was formed by the DPR RI in mid-2024. However, a refusal was given so that no transfer by intermediaries would occur.

As a result of the actions of the two, the state was suspected of violating Article 2 (1) and/or Article 55 (1) of the 1999 Law on Eradication of Corruption Crimes as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 jo Article 55 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.