Minister Of Hajj And Umrah Asks KPK To Check Background Of 200 Candidates For Officials

Minister of Hajj and Umrah Mochamad Irfan Yusuf or Gus Irfan after an audience with KPK/PHOTO leaders: Wardhany Tsa Tsia-VOI

JAKARTA - Minister of Hajj and Umrah Mochamad Irfan Yusuf or Gus Irfan handed over the names of candidates for officials in his institution to the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK). He asked for background checks to avoid potential fraudulent practices.

This was conveyed by Gus Irfan after holding an audience with the KPK leadership at the KPK's Red and White building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, today, October 3.

"We also submit the names of several prospective officials who will join the Ministry of Hajj to be tracked so that there are no problems in the future at the Ministry of Hajj," Gus Irfan told reporters.

The name that was submitted, continued Gus Irfan, came from the Directorate General of Hajj and Umrah (PHU) of the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag). The plan is that they will fill a number of positions but not as director generals (Dirjen) at the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah.

"The director-general is not, the director-general is not. We do it internally from our Hajj Organizing Agency and there is one from the college campus," he said.

Gus Irfan hopes that this examination can screen out the best figure. "We held a meeting, examined him, they included, what his name was, their integrity, and after we were deemed to have passed, we handed it over to the KPK to be tracked with their track record," he said.

The number of names submitted to the KPK is quite large.

"In total, there are around 200 people. Actually, there are more needs than that, later we will solve the others from other ministries or institutions," said Gus Irfan.

Meanwhile, the Secretary General of the KPK, Cahya H. Harefa, stated that his institution is ready to accompany the Ministry of Hajj and Umrah which was recently formed by President Prabowo Subianto. Various efforts to prevent corruption will be carried out.

"So in principle, the KPK strongly supports prevention preparations and later it will support its implementation," said Cahya.

"In the near future, there will also be socialization briefings to the team from the Minister so that they also continue to be reminded, especially when approaching its implementation it is reminded once again that this is a task that has been financed by the state so that it is hoped that it will not accept other things that are not legal," he continued.