JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) gassed the former Minister of Religion (Menag) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas today, March 25. The request for information was made after the suspect in the corruption case for determining the quota and implementation of the 2023-2024 hajj at the Ministry of Religion was again detained at the detention house (prison).
"After the transfer of the type of detention back to the KPK detention center, today the investigators immediately scheduled an examination of the suspect YCQ," said KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo to reporters through his written statement, Wednesday, March 25.
"This examination is a progressive quick step from the investigators to immediately complete the investigation file for this Hajj quota case," he continued.
Budi has not detailed the material that will be investigated by investigators against Yaqut. But, he said, the deepening of the involvement of other parties will be sought through the information provided by the former minister of the 7th President of the Republic of Indonesia Joko Widodo (Jokowi).
"In addition, the examination in this case is also needed to continue to investigate the alleged possibility of other parties having a central role in the alleged corruption crime," he said.
Yaqut is currently at the KPK's Red and White building, Kuningan Persada, South Jakarta to undergo an examination. There was no statement made by him other than an apology.
"I apologize for being born and dead. Ja'alanallahu wa iyyakum minal 'aidin wal faizin," said Yaqut when he was about to enter the lobby of the anti-corruption commission's office.
As previously reported, former Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas had been under house arrest since Thursday, March 19. The transfer of the status of detention was carried out after there was a request from the family on March 17 or five days after the detention on Thursday, March 12.
This incident then became a polemic in the community. A number of parties, including former investigators, highlighted the KPK's attitude because the change of the status of detention was the first time it was carried out.
Meanwhile, the KPK said that the change in status from prison detention to house arrest was claimed by the KPK to have been reviewed and in accordance with Article 108 paragraph (1) and (11) of Law Number 20 of 2025 concerning the Criminal Procedure Code.
Article 108 paragraph (11) regulates that the transfer of type of detention can be carried out based on an investigation order which is given to the suspect, the suspect's family, and the interested parties.
After the polemics, the KPK then re-detained Yaqut at the Red and White KPK Branch Detention Center on Tuesday, March 24. This process was initiated by a health examination first at Bhayangkara Hospital Tk. I. R. Said Sukanto, East Jakarta on Monday, March 23.
It is known that Yaqut is a suspect in the 2023-2024 Hajj pilgrimage and the 20,000 additional Hajj quotas from the Saudi 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 DPR RI, the special hajj quota 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 was suspected of unilaterally changing its composition.
Using the maneuver of issuing a Minister of Religious Affairs Decree (KMA) that was not transparently disseminated, 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 easing the rules for special hajj pilgrims.
He arranged for the filling of the remaining special hajj quota to be handed over to the proposed Special Hajj Service (PIHK) or travel agents. In fact, there should be an order of departure according to the national order number according to the law.
In return for these accelerated facilities, Gus Alex instructed his subordinates to collect illegal levies or fees from travel parties, which were ultimately imposed on prospective special pilgrims.
In 2023, the amount of the fee is pegged at USD5,000 or around Rp84.4 million per pilgrim.
Meanwhile, in the 2024 Hajj, the collection rate was agreed at least USD2,000 to USD2,500 per pilgrim.
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.
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