JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has ensured that the transfer of US$1 million through PT Sucofindo Independent Commissioner Zainal Abidin to condition the Special Hajj Committee (Pansus) in the DPR RI will continue to be investigated.
This was conveyed by KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo after former special staff Yaqut Cholil Qoumas when he served as Minister of Religion, Ishfah Abidal Azis or Gus Alex admitted his acquaintance with Zainal Abidin. This confession was made after he was questioned as a suspect in the corruption case of determining quotas and the implementation of the 2023-2024 Hajj pilgrimage at the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag), yesterday.
"We are still investigating the information," Budi told reporters, quoted by Antara, Tuesday, May 12.
However, Budi emphasized that this investigation would take time. Because, the testimony of the witnesses needs to be further collected.
"And later we will investigate the information regarding the alleged flow of money from the Ministry of Religion to the Commission," he said.
Meanwhile, Gus Alex said he knew Zainal after being examined at the KPK's Red and White building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta.
"Do you know Zainal Abidin?" asked the reporter at the location.
"I know," he said briefly while being dragged to the KPK detention car.
The alleged involvement of Zainal Abidin in conditioning the Hajj Sub-Committee in the DPR RI was conveyed by the acting (Plt) Director of KPK Investigation Achmad Taufik Husein. This figure is known to have been summoned in his capacity as a witness on Thursday, September 4, 2025.
"The fact that we found, it is true that there is a witness ZA who is an intermediary in the transfer of money to the member of the sub-committee. We have examined ZA," Taufik told reporters at the KPK's Red and White building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Monday, April 13.
In addition to checking Zainal Abidin, Taufik ensured that the seizure of money handed over to the Hajj Commission was also carried out. However, he did not specify the amount or the origin of the money.
Taufik only claimed that the money had not yet been received by the members of the DPR RI Hajj Commission. "Except it is still in the middle (ZA, ed)," he said.
"Regarding the information that the money has been used and then paid in installments, we will investigate further," continued Taufik.
The KPK previously named two new suspects in the Hajj quota corruption case, namely Ismail Adhan as the Director of Operations of Maktour Travel and Asrul Azis Haji Umrah RI (Kesthuri). Both of them are suspected of plotting to get additional Hajj quotas from the Saudi government even giving money.
Ismail is said to have given money to Ishfah Abidal Azis, who is a former special staff of the Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas worth 30 thousand US dollars. Then, he gave money to Abdul Latief as the Director General of Haji and Umrah (Dirjen PHU) 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 Rp27.8 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 haj pilgrimage which had previously ensnared Yaqut and his wife. This corruption began with the provision of 20,000 additional haj quotas from the Saudi Arabian government to Indonesia in 2023-2024.
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