The Crucial Role is Still Being Investigated, Maktour Boss Justru Did not Fulfill the KPK Call

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has canceled the examination of the boss of Maktour Travel, Fuad Hasan Masyhur, as a witness to the corruption case of determining quotas and organizing the 2023-2024 Hajj pilgrimage at the Ministry of Religion today. The Board of Trustees of the Forum of Silaturahmi Association of Hajj and Umrah Travel (SATHU) was actually abroad.

"In today's examination schedule, witness FHM confirmed that he could not attend because he was not in the country," said KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo to reporters through his written statement, Wednesday, July 1.

Budi said investigators would reschedule the examination of Fuad. His testimony was considered important to complete the investigation file of the four suspects who had been appointed by the KPK.

"The examination is needed to complete the investigation file for the four suspects in this case," said Budi.

Apart from Fuad, investigators also summoned a number of other witnesses. They are employees of Maktour Travel, Ulfaiza; Director of PT Thayiba Tora, Artha Hanif; Director of PT Madani Prabu Jaya, Hud Rifki Assegaf; President Director of PT Al Haramain Jaya Wisata, Ali Makki; and Assistant Technical Staff Haji 2 of the Hajj Affairs Office of the KJRI Jeddah 2021-2024 Muhammad Luthfi Makki.

"The examination was carried out at the Red and White KPK building," said Budi.

Fuad has been examined by the KPK twice in this case. Most recently, he fulfilled the call as a witness on June 18.

After undergoing an examination, he did not give an answer about the alleged illegal gain or illegal gain that his company had achieved. He just laughed when asked about the findings that had been conveyed by the KPK some time ago.

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.

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.