Special Committee For Hajj Anggat Intends To Collaborate With Law Enforcement, KPK Waits For Official Letter

KPK spokesman Tessa Mahardika (Tsa Tsia/VOI)

The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is waiting for the Special Committee (Pansus) for the Indonesian House of Representatives Hajj to officially write if it is serious about cooperating with law enforcement officials to investigate the 2024 hajj quota. This is because the request has not been directly submitted.

"As far as I know, there has been no official request," said KPK spokesman Tessa Mahardika to reporters quoted on Wednesday, September 11.

"We are waiting for the official letter from the DPR," he continued.

Not only an official letter, Tessa said, her institution will certainly need materials that have been obtained by the Hajj Anggat Special Committee. The goal is to investigate whether there are criminal allegations in the transfer of the Hajj quota at the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag).

"In principle, if we are asked whether we will proceed to the criminal realm or not, of course, we must look at the context first. However, for now the KPK has not determined whether this is in the realm of criminal law or only state administration because we are still waiting for letters and materials from there," he said.

As previously reported, Member of the Special Committee for Hajj, Wisnu Wijaya, said that the option to involve law enforcers, namely the KPK and the National Police, surfaced after the investigation was carried out. "The involvement of law enforcement officers is expected to clarify various indications of irregularities found," he said in a written statement, Sunday, September 8.

This PKS politician also revealed that the DPR's Hajj Special Committee regretted the attitude of the Ministry of Religion which was recently considered uncooperative during the investigation process. Wisnu said a number of officials from the Ministry of Religion who were summoned by the special committee were absent, there were allegations of giving false statements and/or documents by previous witnesses, as well as allegations of pressure experienced by witnesses.

The KPK has now received five reports from the public regarding the alleged corruption of the hajj quota at the Ministry of Religion. It is certain that every report that comes in will be reviewed.