JAKARTA - Former Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture (PMK) Muhadjir Effendy suddenly fulfilled the call of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) as a witness to the alleged corruption in determining quotas and organizing the 2023-2024 hajj at the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag).
Muhadjir arrived at the KPK office at around 17.54 WIB, Monday, May 18. He was accompanied by a number of people who had been waiting for his arrival.
There was no statement made by Muhadjir when he entered the building. He only said that his examination had been announced by the KPK.
"No, no. It has been announced (regarding the inspection held, ed)," said Muhadjir at the location.
Muhadjir was seen carrying a brown map and exchanged his identity card at the building's reception desk. He waited a little before going to the examination room.
Meanwhile, KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo has stated that Muhadjir has asked for a rescheduling. He said there were activities that had to be attended first.
"The person concerned has confirmed and requested a postponement of the examination," Budi said in his statement.
Muhadjir was investigated in his capacity as Interim Minister of Religion in 2022. He is known to have replaced Yaqut Cholil Qoumas who left for Saudi Arabia to perform the hajj.
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 Taba who is the former General Chairman of the Indonesian Hajj and Umrah Travel Association (Kesthuri). The two 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 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.
Both of them are known to be suspects after the KPK first ensnared Yaqut and Ishfah. This suspected corruption began with the provision of 20,000 additional Hajj quotas from the Saudi Arabian government to Indonesia in 2023-2024.
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