KPK Reveals Alleged Boss of Maktour Group Involved in Managing Additional Special Hajj Quota

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has named Fuad Hasan Masyhur, the head of the travel agency, as a suspect in the alleged corruption in determining the quota and the implementation of the 2023-2024 Hajj pilgrimage at the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag). In addition to being involved in the initial process, he is said to have also managed the Hajj quota from an additional position as the head of the Travel Agency for Hajj and Umrah (SATHU).

"FHM as chairman of the Sathu Forum which oversees these associations is suspected from the beginning to have made initiation efforts in order to distribute additional Hajj quotas which, if we refer to the legal provisions, are 92 percent 8 percent. However, there are initiatives that come from the private parties, so that then the Ministry of Religion distributes it to 50 percent 50 percent," said KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo to reporters quoted on Friday, June 19.

"It means that there is a pre-trial process that is captured here by the KPK investigators," he continued.

From this process, there was a change in the allocation of additional Hajj quotas which should follow the provisions of Law Number 8 of 2019 concerning the Implementation of the Hajj and Umrah.

Regarding the rules, Budi detailed that the special special congregation was only 8 percent while 92 percent was intended for regular congregations.

In practice, however, the additional quota from Saudi Arabia was allegedly divided into a composition of 50 percent for regular hajj and 50 percent for special hajj through policies issued by the Ministry of Religion at that time.

Not stopping at the distribution stage, the KPK also suspects Fuad of managing special hajj quotas that come from the additional quota.

"Well, then from the distribution process, yes, as the owner of Maktour, yes, it means that he also manages the special hajj quota which comes from the additional hajj quota, yes," said Budi.

Therefore, investigators consider Fuad to be a party who knows the series of events in the case, ranging from the process of distributing additional quotas to the alleged flow of money from the Special Haji Organizer (PIHK) to parties in the Ministry of Religion.

"Therefore, from the initial process, the initiation process, yes, then the process of distributing quotas to the alleged flow of money from the PIHK to the Ministry of Religion, all of this has been investigated, so we consider that the investigator believes that brother FHM has that knowledge so that his testimony is very needed to complete, to thicken the evidence that has been obtained," said Budi.

Previously, Fuad Hasan Masyhur had been examined several times as a witness in this case. After undergoing an examination on Thursday, June 18, he denied various accusations directed at him.

"No, there is no talk about this Gus, yes. I dare not," said Fuad when asked about former Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas and former Special Staff to the Minister of Religion Ishfah Abidal Aziz alias Gus Alex.

Fuad also denied being involved in the alleged provision of money to the Special Committee (Pansus) for the DPR RI Hajj.

"Of course, I don't understand at all, yes. That's all, yes," he said.

In this case, the KPK has named four suspects, namely former Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, former Special Staff to the Minister of Religion Ishfah Abidal Aziz alias Gus Alex, Director of Operations Maktour Ismail Adham, and former General Chairman of the Union of Tour Travel Haji Umrah of the Republic of Indonesia (Kesthuri) Asrul Azis Taba.