Ex-Minister Denies Hajj Quota Kickbacks Amid Corruption Trial

Former Indonesian Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas has vehemently denied allegations of receiving funds from the management of the Hajj quota, a central point in an ongoing corruption case. Speaking after a trial at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, Yaqut asserted that any claims of money flowing to him were purely speculative.

"Let me state this clearly, I have never received a single rupiah from this process," Yaqut told reporters. He expressed confusion over the prosecution's charges, arguing that the individuals who actually received money and profited from the Hajj quota allocation should be the ones facing trial. "The ones who received the money are others, but I am being charged based on assumptions," he stated.

Yaqut questioned the basis of the state's financial loss claim in the case, amounting to Rp 622.09 billion according to prosecutors. He challenged the prosecution to identify who initiated the practice of profiting from the Hajj quota between 2022 and 2024. "Those who engaged in the buying and selling of quotas, who then received fees and so on, they are the ones who should be brought here," he argued. He stressed that anyone who received money from Special Hajj Organizing Agencies (PIHK), especially those who gained undue profits, should be held accountable.

Defending his policies during his tenure as minister, Yaqut emphasized that his decisions were guided by the principle of safeguarding the safety and security of Hajj pilgrims. He cited Law Number 8 of 2019 on the Implementation of Hajj and Umrah as the basis for his actions, stating his role was to provide guidance, services, and ensure pilgrim safety. Yaqut expressed hope that the trial would bring the facts of the case to light.