KPK: Maktour Owner Has a Crucial Role in the Initiation of Additional Hajj Quota Distribution

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has revealed that the boss of Maktour Travel, Fuad Hasan Masyhur (FHM), is suspected of having an important role in the initial process of distributing additional Hajj quotas which eventually became problematic. The figure who is said to be the Board of Trustees of the Silaturahmi Forum of the Association of Hajj and Umrah Travel (Sathu) is suspected of being the initiator.

"In the initial process of this additional Hajj quota distribution initiative, it is also suspected that FHM as the owner of Maktour and also the Chairman of the Sathu Forum also has a crucial role in the process of this additional Hajj quota distribution initiative," said KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo at the KPK Red and White Building, South Jakarta, quoted Thursday, June 25.

Fuad is suspected by the KPK, along with a number of Special Haji Organizers (PIHK), to have encouraged a change in the scheme for sharing additional quotas from 92 percent of regular hajj and 8 percent for special hajj to 50:50. From this division, they then carried out buying and selling to obtain greater profits.

"So this is also a series with the alleged flow of money from the PIHK because they get much more quotas, then there is an alleged flow from the PIHK to individuals in the Ministry of Religion," said Budi.

As for strengthening the construction, investigators examined the former Director General of Haji and Umrah (PHU) of the Ministry of Religion, Hilman Latief, as a witness on Wednesday, June 24.

Budi said the examination focused on the decision-making process that made the additional quota distribution change from the initial provision to 50:50. "Why in the process of 20,000 additional Hajj quotas were then divided into 50:50," said Budi.

Hilman's testimony is also needed to confirm who are the parties involved in the initiation of the policy. "Is it only from the Ministry of Religion or are there also parties from other associations or PIHKs who also take the initiative so that the additional 20,000 Hajj quotas are divided 50:50," he explained.

"So this is also to strengthen, thicken the elements of fulfillment of Article 2 Article 3 related to the alleged abuse of authority that was carried out. This is the basis of the construction of this case," continued Budi.

Meanwhile, Hilman after undergoing an examination chose to be frugal. He only admitted that he had been asked for information in the corruption case of determining quotas and the implementation of the 2023-2024 hajj in the Ministry of Religion.

"Yes (asked for information, ed) information is just normal. Policy, yes, information is just normal," said Hilman briefly.

Meanwhile, when asked about the addition of the Hajj quota for Maktour and whether there was a meeting with Fuad, he denied it.

"No," he said.

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 Special Staff to the Minister of Religion 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 Travel Union (Kesthuri) Asrul Azis Taba.

The investigation 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 completely 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 some of the funds from the fee collection were prepared to condition the Special Committee (Pansus) for the DPR RI Hajj, which was formed in mid-2024. However, the alleged delivery was not realized due to the rejection of the party who would receive it.

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.