The KPK Will Investigate Allegations Of Additional Hajj Quota For Members Of The DPR

KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo/PHOTO: Wardhany Tsa Tsia-VOI

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) will continue to explore any information received regarding allegations of corruption in quotas and the implementation of Hajj in 2023-2024 by the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag). Including, whether or not there is a quota for members of the DPR RI, especially Commission VIII.

For information, Commission VIII of the DPR has a scope of duties in the fields of religion, social, empowerment of women, and child protection. The Ministry of Religion is one of its partners.

"This is enrichment for the team to explore the information (there is a quota for Hajj for members of the Indonesian House of Representatives, especially Commission VIII, ed)," said KPK spokesman Budi Prasetyo to reporters at the KPK's Merah Putih building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Tuesday, August 19.

However, Budi emphasized that the deepening of this information would not necessarily be carried out.

This is because investigators are still focused on exploring the additional shift of 20,000 Hajj quotas which are divided by 50 percent for special Hajj and 50 percent for regular Hajj and end up having problems.

"So far, we are still exploring the focus of the case, namely the shift in the hajj quota which then resulted in state losses," he said.

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.

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.

State losses in the corruption case of quotas and the implementation of Hajj for the period 2023-2024 are said to reach more than IDR 1 trillion.

This number is still increasing because it is only the initial calculation of the KPK that continues to coordinate with the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK).

The KPK has not yet named a suspect in this case. However, the Acting Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the KPK Asep Guntur Rahayu once mentioned that there had been a potential suspect.

"The potential suspect is of course related to the flow of orders and then the flow of funds," Asep said at a press conference at the KPK's Merah Putih building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Saturday morning, August 9.

"So it is related to who gives orders for the distribution of quotas that are not in accordance with this rule, then also from the flow of funds. Whoever receives the flow of funds associated with the addition of the quota," he continued.