KPK Assures to Immediately Arrest Former Minister of Foreign Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas and His Staff in Connection with the Hajj Quota Corruption Case

KPK spokesperson, Budi Prasetyo/PHOTO: Wardhany Tsa Tsia-VOI

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has confirmed that it will immediately detain the former Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas and staff in particular, Ishfah Abidal Aziz alias Gus Alex, who has been named a suspect in the corruption case of determining quotas and the implementation of the 2023-2024 hajj at the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag).

This certainty was conveyed by KPK Spokesperson Budi Prasetyo when officially announcing the legal status of Yaqut and Gus Alex.

"Regarding the detention, we will update. Of course as soon as possible," Budi told reporters at the KPK's Red and White building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta, Friday, January 9.

Budi said this detention was intended so that the investigation could run effectively. But, the process will definitely be preceded by an examination.

"Because the KPK certainly also wants the investigation process to run effectively," he said.

"Later we will update, because the investigators are still continuing to conduct examinations and also confiscate the evidence needed, including from the PIHK or the travel bureau of the special haj organizer," continued Budi.

As previously reported, the KPK first issued a general investigation order (sprindik) on August 7, 2025, regarding the alleged corruption in determining quotas and organizing the 2023-2024 Hajj period. This institution reasoned that the issuance was carried out so that they could carry out efforts to force requests for information or searches. The general sprindik uses Article 2 Paragraph 1 and/or Article 3 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning Eradication of Corruption Crimes as amended by Law Number 20 of 2021 jo Article 55 paragraph 1-1 of the Criminal Code. This means that there is state loss that occurs due to this corrupt practice.

The KPK said that the state's losses in the 2023-2024 quota and Hajj management corruption cases were said to have reached more than Rp. 1 trillion. The suspicion began with the provision of 20,000 additional Hajj quotas from the Saudi Arabian government for Indonesia to reduce the queue of pilgrims.

However, recently the distribution turned out to be problematic because it was divided equally, namely 50 percent for regular hajj and 50 percent for special hajj.

In fact, according to the law, the distribution should be 92 percent for regular hajj and 8 percent for special hajj.

During the course of this case, a number of parties have been examined. Among them are former Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas to travel agents or travel agents who organize special hajj (PIHK), including Maktour.

Then the evidence was also obtained by investigators after carrying out a series of searches at various locations. Yaqut's house was also searched and documents were found.