KPK Examines Director General Of PHU Of The Ministry Of Religion To Travel Agents Regarding Alleged Corruption Of Hajj Quota

KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo (Tsa Tsia/VOI)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) examined Hilman Latief as Director General (Dirjen) of Hajj and Umrah Organization today, August 27. He will be questioned regarding the alleged corruption in quotas and the implementation of Hajj in 2023-2024 at the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag).

"The investigation was carried out at the KPK's Red and White building," said KPK spokesman Budi Prasetyo to reporters in a written statement, Wednesday, August 27.

In addition, investigators also scheduled a summons for Budi Darmawan as President Director of PR Annatama Purna Tour and Amaluddin who is a Commissioner of PT Ebad Al-Rahman Wisata and Director of PT Diva Mabruro.

Budi has not detailed the examination material that will be investigated by investigators. However, they are suspected of knowing the fraudulent practices that are being handled by the anti-corruption commission.

"The KPK has scheduled an examination of witnesses suspected of corruption related to determining the hajj quota for 2023-2024," he said.

In addition, investigators also summoned Ishfah Abidal Azis alias Gus Alex who was a special staff of Yaqut Cholil Qoumas while serving as Minister of Religion. However, he had already fulfilled the summons on Tuesday, August 26 yesterday.

Ishfah was completed by investigators at around 20.30 WIB. Not much was conveyed, including when asked about the distribution of problematic hajj quotas.

"Just to investigators," said Ishfah when asked about the distribution of 20,000 additional quotas from the Saudi Arabian government at the KPK's Merah Putih building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Tuesday night, August 26.

Meanwhile, Ishfah is known to be one of the parties prevented from leaving the country. His house in Depok, West Java had also been searched and a car was confiscated at that time.

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 quota and Hajj for the period 2023-2024 are said to have reached more than IDR 1 trillion. This amount is still increasing because it is only the initial calculation of the KPK which continues to coordinate with the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK).

This case began with the provision of 20,000 additional Hajj quotas from the Saudi Arabian government for Indonesia to reduce queues for pilgrims.

However, recently the distribution turned out to be problematic because it was divided equally, namely 50 percent for regular Hajj and 50 percent for special Hajj.

In fact, based on the law, the distribution should be set at 92 percent for regular Hajj and 8 percent for special Hajj.