Former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Accused of Rp 622 Billion State Loss in Hajj Quota Graft Case

Former Indonesian Minister of Religious Affairs, Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, faces charges of causing state financial losses amounting to Rp 622.09 billion. The alleged corruption centers on the manipulation of additional special Hajj quotas for 2023 and 2024.

Prosecutors from the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) claim that Yaqut, along with former special staff Ishfah Abidal Aziz, Maktour Operations Director Ismail Adham, and former chairman of the Indonesian Hajj and Umrah Travel Association Asrul Aziz Taba, illegally allocated 50 percent of the additional special Hajj quota without proper technical studies. This action allegedly accommodated requests from special Hajj travel organizers (PIHK) in exchange for expedited processing fees from pilgrims and staff.

The state's financial loss, according to the indictment, stems from discrepancies in PIHK revenue and expenditure for the 2024 Hajj. This includes Rp 438.22 billion for pilgrims who should not have been eligible, Rp 39.95 billion from the sale of special Hajj staff quotas in 2024, and Rp 143.92 billion for expedited processing fees for ineligible pilgrims in 2023 and 2024.

Several individuals are accused of being enriched by the scheme. Yaqut allegedly received US$271,500 (approximately Rp 4.83 billion). Ishfah Abidal Aziz is said to have received US$5.23 million (approximately Rp 93.09 billion) and Rp 330 million. Other individuals named as beneficiaries include Rizky Fisa Abadi, Abdul Muhyi, Ridwan Kurniawan, Iyah Nuriyah, Doddy Suhada, Kamal, Adam Fakih Mukodam, Bambang Sutrisno, Hud Rifky Assegaf, Anjas Asmara, Hafiz, Makki Abdul Soleh, Roy Kurniawan, and Rachmat Wildan, with amounts ranging from thousands to millions of US dollars.

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The defendant also carried out the filling of the additional special Hajj quota for 2023 and 2024 with Special Hajj Pilgrims Without a Waiting List (TO)/Special Hajj Pilgrims with x Years Waiting List (Tx) not in accordance with the established mechanism.