KPK Cecar Petinggi 3 Travel Agent Haji Soal Perolehan Keuntungan Tidak Sah dari Kuota Tambahan

KPK spokesperson, Budi Prasetyo/PHOTO: Wardhany Tsa Tsia-VOI

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has completed examining three senior officials of travel agencies or travel agents who organize special hajj (PIHK) today. They were questioned about the acquisition of profits that should not have been received from additional quotas or illegal gains.

The three witnesses who attended were Ali Farihi, Operational Manager of PT Adzikra; Ahmad Fauzan as General Manager of PT Aero Globe Indonesia; and President Director of PT Afiz Nurul Qolbi Eko Martino Wafa Afizputro.

"Witnesses were present and investigators asked for information from witnesses regarding the filling of quotas and the acquisition of illegal gains or profits that were allegedly invalid from additional quotas," said KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo to reporters through his written statement, Monday, April 6.

The three witnesses were examined at the KPK's Merah Putih building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta. Meanwhile, the other two witnesses, namely Ulfah Izzati who is a Commissioner of PT Gema Shafa Marwa Tours and Kurniawan Chandra Permata as Manager of the Umrah and Hajj Division of PT Abdi Ummat Wisata did not meet the call.

"Investigators will reschedule," said Budi.

The KPK previously named Ismail Adhan as the Director of Operations of Maktour Travel and Asrul Azis Taba, who is the former General Chairman of the Indonesian Hajj and Umrah Travel Association (Kesthuri), as suspects. The two are suspected of plotting to get additional Hajj quotas from the Saudi Arabian government and give money.

Ismail is said to have given money to Ishfah Abdi Cholil Qoumas, the Director General of Haji and Umrah (Dirjen PHU) at the Ministry of Religion, with details of 5,000 US dollars and 16,000 Saudi riyals.

This act then made Maktour obtain an illegal profit in 2024 worth Rp. 27.8 billion.

Meanwhile, Asrul is said to have given money worth 406 thousand US dollars. From this gift, eight special haj organizers (PIHK) under the auspices of Kesthuri received illegal profits of up to Rp. 40.8 billion.

The determination of the two is an expansion of the corruption case of the haj quota which had previously ensnared Yaqut and Ishfah. This corruption allegation began with the provision of 20,000 additional haj quotas from the Saudi Arabian government to Indonesia in 2023-2024.

Based on Law Number 8 of 2019 concerning the Implementation of the Hajj and Umrah and the results of the agreement of the Panja Meeting of Commission VIII of the DPR, the special hajj quota should be set at 8 percent of the total quota, while the remaining 92 percent is intended for regular hajj.

However, Yaqut as the Minister of Religion at that time allegedly unilaterally changed its composition. Using the maneuver of issuing the Minister of Religion Decree (KMA) which was not disseminated transparently, he divided the additional Hajj quota into a 50 percent scheme for regular Hajj and 50 percent for special Hajj.

Meanwhile, Ishfah Abidal Aziz implemented the policy by relaxing the rules for special hajj pilgrims. He is suspected of arranging the filling of the remaining special hajj quota to be handed over to the proposal of the Special Hajj Service (PIHK) or travel agents which should be in accordance with the national order number as regulated by law.

In return for these accelerated facilities, Gus Alex instructed his subordinates to collect illegal levies or fees from travel parties, which were ultimately charged to prospective special pilgrims. In 2023, the amount of fees set at USD5,000 or around Rp84.4 million per pilgrim.

Meanwhile, in the 2024 Hajj, the collection rate was agreed at least USD2,000 to USD2,500 per pilgrim.

The billions of rupiah from the collection of fees are suspected to have flowed into the pockets of Gus Yaqut, Gus Alex, and a number of other officials in the Ministry of Religion.

Then there is an allegation that some of the funds were deliberately prepared and used to condition the Special Hajj Committee (Pansus) which was formed by the DPR RI in mid-2024. However, a refusal was given so that no transfer by intermediaries would occur.

As a result of the actions of the two, the state is said to have lost up to IDR 622 billion. They were then suspected of violating Article 2 (1) and or Article 3 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 jo Article 55 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.