KPK Doesn't Need To Hesitate To Announce Suspects In Corruption Cases Of Hajj Quota

Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Building

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has been asked not to hesitate to determine and announce the suspect in the corruption case of quota corruption and the implementation of the 2023-2024 Hajj pilgrimage to the Ministry of Religion. The public should not question the attitude of the institution.

"KPK must continue to be strengthened so as not to be afraid or hesitant to position the wrong party is wrong and what is right is right," said the former KPK investigator, Praswad Nugraha in a written statement, Thursday, September 25.

Various pieces of evidence have been collected with several press releases carried out. This is what makes it natural when the public continues to question why the KPK has not yet determined and announced who the suspects are in this investigation process," he continued.

Praswad reminded that the law enforcement process should not appear to compromise with other factors, namely politics. Moreover, the anti-corruption commission has mentioned that the party responsible for this case is like the highest decision maker at the Ministry of Religion at that time.

"The KPK's independence will be questioned if after a long process is carried out with various parties, it turns out that in the end only field implementers are named suspects," he said.

In addition, the anti-corruption commission is considered to have sufficient evidence. "There should be no doubt for the KPK to immediately determine who is involved," said Praswad, who also serves as Managing Chairman of Southeast Asia Anti-Corruption Syndicate (SEA-Actions).

"Don't let the KPK determine a suspect at the technical implementation level, this will injure public trust," he said.

Previously reported, the KPK said that allegations of corruption related to quotas and the implementation of Hajj in 2023-2024 at the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag) would enter a new chapter. In the near future, the suspects will be determined because the process is running using a general investigation warrant (sprindik) and announced.

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 number 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 stems from the provision of 20,000 additional Hajj quotas from the Saudi Arabian government for Indonesia to reduce queues for pilgrims. However, the distribution turned out to be problematic because it was divided equally, namely 50 percent for regular Hajj and 50 percent for special Hajj based on the Decree (SK) of the Minister of Religion signed by Yaqut Cholil Qoumas.

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

Later, the distribution of problems was allegedly due to money from the Hajj and Umrah travel parties as well as the associations that oversee the Ministry of Religion. After getting the allotment, they sold the additional quota to prospective pilgrims.

During the investigation process, a number of parties have been questioned, including Yaqut Cholil Qoumas. Investigators have also searched his house and found documents and electronic evidence that are suspected to be related.