The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) Found Inappropriate Facilities For Special Furoda Hajj Pilgrims

Illustration of Indonesian Hajj Pilgrims (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has received new information regarding alleged corruption in the 2023-2024 Hajj quota and implementation by the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag). It is suspected that pilgrims are not receiving appropriate facilities.

"This information has also reached us, that some registered for furoda (traditional hajj). This is even more expensive, but it is combined with special hajj. The special hajj is combined with regular hajj," said Acting Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Asep Guntur Rahayu, to reporters at the KPK's Merah Putih building in Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, as quoted on Friday, August 15.

This situation, Asep continued, is suspected to be due to a shift in the additional hajj quota of 20,000 from the Saudi Arabian government. This amount should be divided 92 percent for regular hajj and 8 percent for special hajj.

However, in practice, the additional quota to reduce queues was divided equally. "Then it was divided 50-50 percent. This is certainly also related to the availability of facilities and other things," he emphasized.

Furthermore, Asep said this information would be investigated. However, they need assistance from pilgrims who received inappropriate facilities.

"Hopefully, these pilgrims, for example, who registered for special Hajj but were then treated as regular Hajj or furoda, which was not appropriate... can provide us with information," said Asep, who also serves as the Director of Investigations at the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK).

"(This information, ed.) will expedite our handling of this case," he continued.

As previously reported, the KPK has issued a general investigation warrant (sprindik) for alleged corruption in the Hajj quota increase and organization. The agency argued that the issuance was done so they could take coercive measures.

"With this general investigation warrant, we have more freedom to gather evidence and information, thus shedding light on the case we are handling," said Acting Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), Asep Guntur Rahayu, during a press conference at the KPK's Merah Putih building in Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, early Saturday, August 9th.

The general investigation warrant utilizes 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, Point 1 of the Criminal Code. This means that there are state losses resulting from this corrupt practice.

The state losses in this corruption case regarding the Hajj quota and administration for the 2023-2024 period are said to reach over IDR 1 trillion and could increase. This figure arose because the Saudi Arabian government's additional Hajj quota of 20,000 was improperly allocated, with 50 percent for regular Hajj and 50 percent for special Hajj.

According to the law, the quota should be divided 92 percent for regular Hajj and 8 percent for special Hajj.