Preacher Khalid Basalamah Failed to Respond to KPK Summons Today in the Hajj Quota Corruption Case

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

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has canceled its scheduled questioning of preacher and owner of the Uhud Tour travel agency, Khalid Zeed Abdullah Basalamah, or Khalid Basalamah, today. He was scheduled to be questioned regarding alleged corruption in the 2023-2024 Hajj quota and management at the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

"He's not present," KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo told reporters in a statement on Tuesday, September 2.

Budi stated that Khalid had confirmed his absence at the KPK's Merah Putih building in Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta.

"He has other business," he said.

In addition, the KPK has also scheduled questioning of the Head of the Hajj Financial Management Agency (BPKH), Fadlul Imansyah; Irwanto, Deputy Finance Officer of the BPKH; Firman Muhammad Nur, Chairman of the Association of Muslim Hajj and Umrah Organizers of the Republic of Indonesia (Amphuri) and President Director of PT Kafilah Maghfirah Wisata; Kushardono from PT Tisafa Multazam Utama; and Agus Andriyanto, Head of the Nur Ramadhan Wisata Surabaya Branch.

Fadlul, meanwhile, completed his questioning by investigators around 4:10 PM WIB. He stated his readiness to support the ongoing legal process by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) regarding the Hajj quota corruption case.

"As good citizens and as representatives of state institutions, of course we fully support all efforts to enforce the laws and regulations, including all applicable provisions and laws in Indonesia," Fadlul told reporters at the location.

Fadlul stated that he had explained his knowledge. However, he did not provide details about the questions asked by investigators.

"Because we are already under investigation, and what we are providing as witnesses is a further in-depth analysis of what has been conducted in the investigation," he emphasized.

As previously reported, the KPK has issued a general investigation warrant (sprindik) regarding the alleged corruption in the Hajj quota and management. This step allows investigators to take coercive measures, such as questioning witnesses and conducting searches.

The Sprindik (Investigation Notice) applies Article 2 Paragraph (1) and/or Article 3 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption, as amended by Law Number 20 of 2021, in conjunction with Article 55 Paragraph (1) point 1 of the Criminal Code. This means that this practice is suspected of causing state financial losses.

The state losses in this case are said to have reached more than IDR 1 trillion. This figure is still a preliminary estimate, which is being coordinated by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) with the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK).

The case stems from the additional quota of 20,000 Hajj pilgrims granted by the Saudi Arabian government to Indonesia. This additional quota was supposed to reduce the waiting list for prospective pilgrims.

However, the KPK deemed the distribution problematic because it was divided equally, namely 50 percent for regular Hajj and 50 percent for special Hajj.

According to the law, the allocation should be 92 percent for regular Hajj and 8 percent for special Hajj.