JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) emphasized that the Saudi Arabian government could not possibly give Indonesia an additional 20,000 Hajj quotas without considering the facilities for performing the worship.
This was conveyed by the Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the KPK, Asep Guntur Rahayu, in the agency's official podcast entitled "Talk at the KPK Episode: Investigating the Alleged Corruption of the Hajj Quota" today, March 9. According to him, the quota given should be given according to the law because Saudi Arabia cannot possibly neglect the pilgrims.
"When the state gives additional Hajj quotas, of course it must be prepared with its facilities. It is impossible for the Saudi Arabian government to provide additional support without thinking about whether this is the location of the accommodation (enough, red) and others, it is impossible," said Asep in the podcast.
"Does that mean it's guaranteed?" asked KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo who was the host of the podcast.
"Of course, of course because this is the government," he replied.
Furthermore, Asep also stated that the readiness of the Saudi Arabian government to accept Indonesian pilgrims had been confirmed by investigators. "It has also been (checked directly, ed)," he said.
So, the distribution of 20,000 additional according to the rules, namely 92 percent for regular hajj and 8 percent for special hajj should be able to be done.
In addition, Asep also said that the additional quota for the hajj should help regular hajj pilgrims to leave sooner.
"The quota for Hajj is given to the Saudi government to the Indonesian government. So this is G to G, not to people, to travel but to the country," said Asep, who had served as the Director of Investigation of the KPK.
Meanwhile, the camp of former Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas had stated that the 50 percent quota for special hajj and 50 percent for regular hajj was a discretion taken by looking at the actual conditions on site.
Through his lawyer, Mellisa Anggraeni, Yaqut's camp assessed that this decision was based on the Minister of Religion Regulation (PMA) number 13 of 2021 which regulates the policy of the Minister of Religion.
"The technical calculation of capacity in Mina includes the policy of Mina zoning by Saudi Arabia which has an impact on the placement and financing of pilgrims. The MoU that has been signed by Saudi Arabia and Indonesia is dated January 8, 2025," Mellisa told reporters, Wednesday, December 17, 2025.
"This discretion is carried out for the sake of service and the safety of the congregation, not for personal or group profit," he continued.
As previously reported, the former Minister of Religion (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas filed a pretrial to the South Jakarta District Court (PN) on Monday, February 10. The lawsuit was registered with the number 19/Pid.Pra/2026/PN.JKT.SEL.
This pretrial was filed after the KPK announced two suspects in the corruption case for determining quotas and organizing the 2023-2024 Hajj period at the Ministry of Religion. They are former Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas and staff in particular, Ishfah Abidal Aziz alias Gus Alex.
The determination of the suspect was made later, because the KPK investigated the alleged corruption by using a general investigation order (sprindik) issued on August 7, 2025.
The Sprindik general 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 jo article 55 paragraph 1-1 of the Criminal Code. This means that there is state loss that occurs due to this corrupt practice.
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