JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) is questioning former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Qolil Qoumas regarding the distribution of an additional 20,000 Hajj pilgrims from the Saudi Arabian government, which violated regulations.
This was conveyed by KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo regarding Yaqut's questioning on Monday, September 1. He stated that the former minister under the 7th President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo (Jokowi), was asked about the basis for issuing a decree (SK) dividing the quota 50 percent for regular Hajj pilgrims and 50 percent for special Hajj pilgrims.
"We are investigating the process and arguments related to the 50:50 distribution of the additional 20,000 quota," KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo told reporters in a written statement on Tuesday, September 2.
Budi stated that issuing the decree was at Yaqut's discretion while in office. There were also regulatory conflicts.
"(There were) regulatory conflicts," he emphasized.
Yaqut remained quiet after being questioned by investigators. He admitted that they were only questioning him regarding the information he had previously provided during the investigation.
"I was just revising the information I provided during the previous questioning. So, there was further investigation," Yaqut told reporters at the KPK's Merah Putih building in Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Monday, September 1.
From field observations, Yaqut left the building around 4:18 PM WIB. He was questioned for nearly seven hours.
Yaqut admitted to receiving dozens of questions from investigators. When asked whether there was any further investigation into the problematic distribution of the 20,000 additional Hajj quotas from the Saudi Arabian government, the former minister under the 7th President of the Republic of Indonesia, Joko Widodo (Jokowi), declined to elaborate.
"The material was asked to the investigators. … I provided further information related to what was asked during the initial questioning," he emphasized.
As previously reported, the KPK has issued a general investigation warrant (sprindik) for alleged corruption in the additional Hajj quota and Hajj administration. This institution argued that the issuance was necessary to allow them to take coercive measures.
The general investigation warrant uses Article 2 Paragraph 1 and/or Article 3 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication 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 state losses have occurred as a result of this corrupt practice.
The state losses in this corruption case regarding the 2023-2024 Hajj quota and administration are said to have reached over IDR 1 trillion. This figure is still expected to increase as it is only a preliminary calculation from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK), which continues to coordinate with the Supreme Audit Agency (BPK).
This case stemmed from the Saudi Arabian government's grant of 20,000 additional Hajj quotas to Indonesia to reduce the queue of pilgrims.
However, the distribution later turned out to be problematic, as the quotas were divided equally, 50 percent for regular Hajj and 50 percent for special Hajj.
In fact, based on the law, the distribution should be 92 percent for regular Hajj and 8 percent for special Hajj.
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