KPK Searches For Master Mind Behind Allegations Of Corruption In Hajj Quota That Loses The State Up To Rp1 T

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JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) will target the main actors who have an intellectual role in the alleged corruption of quotas and the implementation of Hajj at the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) in 2023-2024. They not only focus on the executor of this fraudulent practice.

"So it's not just the executor, but who is the mastermind. So, who gave the orders and others then related to the flow of money," said Acting Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the KPK Asep Guntur Rahayu to reporters at the KPK's Red and White building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Tuesday, August 12.

One way to find out who the intellectual actors in this case, continued Asep, is to trace the Decree (SK) of the Minister of Religion Number 130 of 2024 regarding the additional hajj quota.

This is because 20,000 additional quotas that are then problematic are divided into not in accordance with the law.

Supposedly, if based on Article 64 paragraph 2 of Law Number 8 of 2019 concerning the Implementation of Hajj and Umrah, the special hajj quota is set at 8 percent of the Indonesian hajj quota. While the rest, which is 92 percent, is intended for regular Hajj quotas.

"SK is one of the proofs, we need a lot of evidence, one we have obtained is a decree, of course we have to look for other evidence that strengthens it. Whether the person concerned (Yaqut Cholil Qoumas as the former Minister of Religion, ed) designed the decree himself or whether the decree had been completed and then offered to the person concerned for signature. This is what we are investigating," explained Asep.

In addition, the KPK will also explore meetings between the ranks of the Ministry of Religion and the association of Hajj and Umrah organizers that oversee travel agents. Asep said there were allegations that they had already been involved before the decree was issued.

"At the lower level, they have not yet reached the policy determinant, they gather first, they have meetings first and finally there is a decision between those who have this meeting, both from the Ministry of Religion and from associations, this is a travel-travel representative, finally divided into two to 50 percent (regular hajj quota, ed) and 50 percent (special hajj quota, ed)," he said.

"After being agreed (percent, ed). This is then what we are currently investigating, one of which is strengthened by the existence of a decree. From the minister is good luck (percent), only we are exploring whether this is a bottom up or a top down, or indeed both meet at the same frequency: from below we want that, from above we also want that," continued Asep, who also serves as Director of KPK Investigation.

Previously reported, the KPK has issued a general investigation warrant (sprindik) for alleged corruption in the addition of quotas and the implementation of Hajj. This institution reasoned that the issuance was carried out so that they could make forced efforts.

"With this public sprindik, we are more free to collect evidence and also collect information so that it makes light of a case that we are currently handling," said Acting Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the KPK Asep Guntur Rahayu at a press conference at the KPK's Merah Putih building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Saturday morning, August 9.

The general Sprindik uses Article 2 Paragraph 1 and/or Article 3 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Criminal Acts of Corruption as amended by Law Number 20 of 2021 in conjunction with Article 55 paragraph 1 of the Criminal Code. This means that there are state losses that occur due to this corrupt practice.

The state losses in the corruption case of quotas and the implementation of Hajj for the period 2023-2024 are said to have reached more than IDR 1 trillion. This amount but still increases because it is only the initial calculation of the KPK that continues to coordinate with the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK) of the Republic of Indonesia.