KPK Receives Return of Money up to IDR 100 Billion from Travel Agents in the Hajj Quota Corruption Case

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

JAKARTA - The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has revealed that it has not only received the return of money related to the corruption case of determining quotas and organizing the 2023-2024 hajj from the speaker and owner of Uhud Tour, Khalid Basalamah. A number of travel agencies or travel agents who organize special hajj (PIHK) have also done the same thing.

"In the investigation of this alleged corruption case related to the Hajj quota, the KPK not only received the return of KB money but also there was a return from other PIHK-PIHK," said KPK spokesperson Budi Prasetyo through his written statement, Friday, April 24.

Budi revealed that the anti-corruption commission had received money of up to hundreds of billions of rupiah from PIHK and associations to date. However, this amount can still increase.

"The latest total information we have received is around Rp. 100 billion more. Later we will update if there is any development related to the amount of return from PIHK or the association," he said.

Budi reminded the PIHK to return illegal gains from the sale of additional special hajj quota that is not in accordance with the rules.

"So that they can follow the witnesses who have been cooperative in providing information and returning the money from the filling of this Hajj quota."

The KPK previously named two new suspects in the Hajj quota corruption case, namely Ismail Adhan as the Director of Operations of Maktour Travel and former Chairman of the Union of Hajj Travel and Umrah Travel (Kesthuri) Asrul Azis Taba. The two are suspected of plotting to get additional Hajj quotas from the Saudi government even giving money.

Ismail is said to have given money to Ishfah Abidal Azis, who is a former special staff of the Minister of Religion Yaqut Cholil Qoumas worth 30 thousand US dollars. Then, he gave money to Abdul Latief as the Director General of Haji and Umrah (Dirjen PHU) Ministry of Religion with details of 5,000 US dollars and 16,000 Saudi riyals.

This act then made Maktour obtain an illegal profit in 2024 worth Rp. 27.8 billion.

Meanwhile, Asrul is said to have given money worth 406 thousand US dollars. From this gift, eight special haj organizers (PIHK) under the auspices of Kesthuri received illegal profits of up to Rp. 40.8 billion.

The determination of the two is an expansion of the corruption case of the haj quota which had previously ensnared Yaqut and Ishfah. This corruption allegation began with the provision of 20,000 additional haj 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 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 allegedly unilaterally changed its composition. Using the maneuver of issuing the Minister of Religion Decree (KMA) which was not disseminated transparently, he 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 is suspected of arranging the filling of the remaining special hajj quota to be handed over to the proposal of the Special Hajj Service (PIHK) or travel agents which should be in accordance with the national order number as regulated by law.

In return for these accelerated facilities, Gus Alex instructed his subordinates to collect illegal levies or fees from travel parties, which were ultimately charged to prospective special pilgrims. In 2023, the amount of fees set 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.