Indonesian Minister Welcomes Hajj Quota Corruption Trial, Vows Full Disclosure

Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, Indonesia's Minister of Religious Affairs and a suspect in a corruption case involving additional Hajj quotas, has welcomed the transfer of his case file to prosecutors. He expressed confidence that the truth will emerge during the trial.

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Thank God, the case file has been handed over by the investigators to the Public Prosecutor's Office (JPU) today, and God willing, we will face the trial so it becomes clear who is right and who is wrong.

"Thank God, the case file has been handed over by the investigators to the Public Prosecutor's Office (JPU) today, and God willing, we will face the trial so it becomes clear who is right and who is wrong," Yaqut stated after completing his investigation at the KPK's Red and White Building in Jakarta.

Yaqut intends to provide a full account of how the additional Hajj quota, secured from Saudi Arabia, was distributed. His legal counsel, Mellisa Anggraini, affirmed that the quota allocation adhered to technical assessments and the MoU signed between Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. She asserted that the division of 10,000 quotas for regular Hajj and 10,000 for special Hajj was clearly stipulated in the MoU.

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What has not been revealed will be revealed in the trial.

"What has not been revealed will be revealed in the trial," Yaqut added. Mellisa further explained that Hajj organization is not solely determined by domestic law, given Saudi Arabia's role as the host country. She reiterated their readiness to have Yaqut's actions scrutinized in court.

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What has been conveyed by him since the beginning until now remains consistent, that the decision regarding the additional Hajj quota for 2024 has been made in accordance with technical studies, and it is certainly in accordance with the MoU (Memorandum of Understanding) that has been signed by Indonesia and Saudi Arabia.

In addition to Yaqut, the KPK has concluded investigations into three other suspects: Yaqut's Special Staff Ishfah Abidal Aziz, Maktour Operations Director Ismail Adham, and Asrul Azis Taba, Chairman of the Kesthuri Association. The alleged corruption case is reported to have caused state financial losses amounting to Rp622 billion, according to the Indonesian Supreme Audit Agency (BPK).

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So, the division of 10,000 and 10,000 was indeed clearly stated in the MoU. Regarding the organization of Hajj, it cannot only be decided through domestic law because the organizer or the host is Saudi Arabia. Well, he has explained everything, and we are ready to be tested in court.