Former Stafsus Yaqut Cholil Qoumas Meets KPK Call as Suspect in Hajj Quota Corruption Case

The suspect in the alleged corruption case of the haj quota and the implementation of the haj pilgrimage, Ishfah Abidal Aziz alias Gus Alex (center), walks out after undergoing an examination at the KPK Red and White Building, Jakarta, Monday (26/1/2026). (ANTARA)

JAKARTA - Ishfah Abidal Azis or Gus Alex, who was a special staff of Yaqut Cholil Qoumas when he served as Minister of Religion (Menag), fulfilled the call of the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) today, March 17. He is currently undergoing an examination as a suspect in the corruption case of determining quotas and the implementation of the 2023-2024 Hajj pilgrimage at the Ministry of Religion (Kemenag).

"IAA this morning has arrived at the KPK Merah Putih building to undergo an examination by investigators," said KPK spokesman Budi Prasetyo to reporters via an SMS, Tuesday, March 17.

Budi said Ishfah had arrived at the anti-corruption commission's office since 08.20 WIB. He was questioned in his capacity as a suspect.

In the case of corruption in the Hajj quota, Ishfah is said to have played a role in giving orders to officials at the Ministry of Religion to ask for a fee quota after being given greater flexibility in the special Hajj quota than the provisions for the distribution of additional Hajj quotas. This was conveyed by the Deputy for Enforcement and Execution of the KPK, Asep Guntur Rahayu, at a press conference on the detention of the former Minister of Religion, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, on Thursday, March 12.

Asep said, in 2023, Ishfah ordered Rizky Fisa Abadi as the former Head of the Special Haji Organizing Unit for Licensing, Accreditation, and Development to loosen the policy regarding the T0 scheme or prospective pilgrims who have just registered and can immediately depart for the Holy Land.

Throughout May-June 2023, Asep said, Rizky held a meeting with the Special Haji Organizing Association (PIHK) regarding the absorption of additional special haji quotas of 640 pilgrims. He then determined the quota for 54 PIHK pilgrims.

"So they can leave directly without queuing. RFA also gives special treatment to certain PIHK to be able to fill the additional special hajj quota with T0 or TX special hajj pilgrims (acceleration/not according to the order number)," Asep said in a press conference at the KPK Red and White building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta.

Rizky is also said to have ordered his staff to collect acceleration fees from PIHK for filling additional special hajj quotas that get T0 or TX worth USD 5,000 or IDR 84.4 million per pilgrim. "One of them, by transferring the mujamalah visa pilgrims (government invitation pilgrims, ed) to special hajj," explained Asep, who had served as the KPK Investigation Director.

Not only in 2023, in 2024, the same order was given by Ishfah. In fact, he called the staff at the Directorate of Special Umrah and Hajj Construction and as the Head of the Licensing, Accreditation, and Special Hajj Implementation Directorate to his room.

Asep said Ishfah directed that the fee for acceleration be collected and appointed people to coordinate the fee from associations and PIHK. "The agreed value is 2,000 US dollars or around Rp. 33.8 million per pilgrim," he said.

Furthermore, Ishfah ordered M Agus Syafi' as Head of the Special Haji Licensing, Accreditation, and Implementation Unit to ask for money from the PIHK, which was eventually charged to the special prospective haji.

"That is at least USD 2,500 (Rp. 42.2 million) per pilgrim as a fee or commitment fee or other fee, in order to obtain additional special hajj quotas alias T0 or TX quotas," said Asep.

"The giving and collection of money was carried out in the period from February to June 2024," he added.

As previously reported, the KPK officially detained the former Minister of Religion (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas on Thursday, March 12. This arrest was carried out after he was named a suspect in the corruption case of determining quotas and organizing the 2023-2024 hajj at the Ministry of Religion together with staff, especially Ishfah Abidal Azis alias Gus Alex.

The alleged corruption began with the granting of 20,000 additional Hajj quotas from the Saudi Arabian government to Indonesia in 2023-2024. Based on Law Number 8 of 2019 concerning the Implementation of the Hajj and Umrah and the results of the agreement of the Panja Meeting of Commission VIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives, special Hajj quotas should be set at 8 percent of the total quota, while the remaining 92 percent is intended for regular Hajj.

However, Yaqut as the Minister of Religion at that time allegedly unilaterally changed its composition. He used the maneuver of issuing a Minister of Religion Decree (KMA) which was not disseminated transparently, Yaqut divided the additional Hajj quota into a 50 percent scheme for regular Hajj and 50 percent for special Hajj.

Meanwhile, Ishfah Abidal Aziz implemented the policy by relaxing the rules for special hajj pilgrims. He arranged for the filling of the remaining special hajj quota to be submitted to the proposal of the Special Hajj Service Provider (PIHK) or travel agency.

In fact, there should be an order of departure according to the national order number according to the law. In return for these acceleration facilities, Gus Alex instructed his subordinates to collect illegal levies or fees from travel parties, which were ultimately imposed on prospective special pilgrims.

The billions of rupiah from the collection of fees are suspected to have flowed into the pockets of Gus Yaqut, Gus Alex, and a number of other officials in the Ministry of Religion.

Then there is an allegation that some of the funds were deliberately prepared and used to condition the Special Hajj Committee (Pansus) which was formed by the DPR RI in mid-2024. However, a refusal was given so that no transfer by intermediaries would occur.

As a result of the actions of the two, the state is said to have lost up to IDR 622 billion. They were then suspected of violating Article 2 (1) and or Article 3 of Law Number 31 of 1999 concerning the Eradication of Corruption as amended by Law Number 20 of 2001 jo Article 55 paragraph (1) of the Criminal Code.