Digestive Disorders, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas Former Minister of Foreign Affairs Assisted by the KPK to the Police Hospital

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) assisted in the detention of former Minister of Religion (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas on Wednesday, June 24. The assistance was carried out because the suspect in the corruption case for determining the quota and implementation of the 2023-2024 Hajj pilgrimage at the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) had digestive problems so that he had to be treated at the Kramat Jati Police Hospital, Jakarta.

"The delivery was based on the results of a doctor's examination, which then required the person concerned to undergo hospitalization at the Kramat Jati Police Hospital. Based on medical information, the person concerned suffered from a disease in the digestive tract," said KPK spokesman Budi Prasetyo to reporters through a written statement quoted Thursday, June 25.

Budi did not elaborate on the illness experienced by Yaqut. He only confirmed that the detention was the right of a suspect.

In the future, investigators are also certain to continue monitoring Yaqut's condition. "This delivery is to ensure that the basic rights of a suspect are still met," he said.

"Investigators will continue to monitor his health, while ensuring that the investigation process continues as it should."

This is the second time Yaqut has left the KPK Detention House. He once made a public uproar because his status was changed to house arrest on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr 1447 Hijriah on March 21.

The KPK at that time argued that it received a request from the family. The decision to change the status of the detainee was also considered not to violate the rules because it was regulated in the Criminal Code (KUHAP).

However, Yaqut's presence outside of prison at that time did not last long. Three days later, on March 24, the former minister had to return to the KPK Detention Center.

As previously reported, the KPK has named four suspects in the alleged corruption case for determining quotas and organizing the 2023-2024 Hajj pilgrimage at the Ministry of Religion. They are former Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas; former staff, specifically, Ishfah Abidal Azis alias Gus Alex; Director of Operations of Maktour Travel, Ismail Adhan; and former General Chairman of the Indonesian Republic of Hajj Umrah Tour Travel Union (Kesthuri), Asrul Azis Taba.

The investigation of this case began with the distribution of 20,000 additional Hajj quotas given by the Government of Saudi Arabia to Indonesia in 2023 and 2024. Based on Law Number 8 of 2019 concerning the Implementation of the Hajj and Umrah and the agreement of the Panja Commission VIII of the DPR RI, the additional quota should be divided with a composition of 92 percent for regular Hajj and 8 percent for special Hajj.

However, the KPK suspects that there has been a policy change through the issuance of a Minister of Religious Affairs Decree that divides the additional quota into 50 percent for regular hajj and 50 percent for special hajj. The policy was then implemented by easing the mechanism for filling the special hajj quota, which no longer fully refers to the national order number.

In the process, the KPK suspects that there has been a collection of fees from a number of Special Haji Organizers (PIHK) in exchange for the acceleration of the departure of pilgrims. The collection is said to be imposed on prospective special pilgrims with a maximum of 5,000 US dollars per pilgrim in 2023 and 2,000 to 2,500 US dollars per pilgrim in 2024.

From the results of the investigation, Ismail Adhan allegedly gave Ishfah Abidal Azis 30 thousand US dollars and 5,000 US dollars and 16 thousand Saudi riyals to the then Director General of Haji and Umrah Implementation of the Ministry of Religion, Abdul Latief. This act is suspected of making Maktour obtain an illegal profit of around IDR 27.8 billion.

Meanwhile, Asrul Azis Taba allegedly gave money amounting to 406 thousand US dollars. From this gift, eight PIHKs belonging to Kesthuri are said to have obtained illegal profits of up to Rp. 40.8 billion.

The KPK also suspects that the money collected from the fee was intended to be used to pay the Hajj pilgrimage in 2024.

As a result of the alleged actions of the suspects, the state is estimated to have suffered losses of up to IDR 622 billion. The KPK charged the suspects with Article 2 paragraph (1) and/or Article 3 of the Corruption Law in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.