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🇮🇩 Indonesia /Elections & Politics

Lawyer claims no witnesses proved ex-minister received bribe money in hajj quota case

From Tempo · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Sources not specified In the courts
  • The lawyer for former Indonesian Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas claims no witnesses testified to him receiving bribe money.
  • The defense argues that 432 witnesses did not prove any funds flowed to their client in the alleged hajj quota corruption case.
  • The legal team also stated that the decision to allocate additional hajj quotas was purely for pilgrim safety.

The legal team for former Indonesian Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas asserts that hundreds of witnesses have failed to provide evidence of their client receiving any funds in the alleged hajj quota corruption case. Mellisa Anggraini, Qoumas's lawyer, stated on Monday that "out of the 432 witnesses in the indictment, thankfully, none said Gus Yaqut received any funds."

Anggraini further claimed that the Rp 100 billion seized by the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) does not belong to Qoumas. She alluded to others benefiting while Qoumas was burdened with the responsibility, stating, "That's their money, those who sit around doing nothing, can sit in Bali while relaxing." The legal team suggested investigators were not focused on these individuals.

From the 432 witnesses that are in the indictment, alhamdulillah, none of them said Gus Yaqut received any funds.

— Mellisa AnggrainiStating that no witnesses testified to her client receiving bribe money.

Regarding the policy to distribute an additional 20,000 hajj quotas, split equally between special and regular hajj, the defense team maintains it was solely for pilgrim safety. They explained that this discretionary decision was made due to limited facilities in Mina and the high safety risks if all quotas were allocated to regular hajj. The allocation of extra quotas created significant on-the-ground mitigation pressures, requiring rapid technical adjustments by the ministry.

Anggraini recounted Qoumas's words, emphasizing his moral responsibility: "The safety of the pilgrims is my moral burden because I have experienced hajj being neglected." She affirmed that all of the minister's discretionary considerations were oriented towards pilgrim protection.

It's their money, those who sit around doing nothing, can sit in Bali while relaxing.

— Mellisa AnggrainiReferring to the Rp 100 billion seized by the KPK, implying it belongs to others.

The legal team expressed regret over what they perceive as a misdirected focus by law enforcers, arguing that the main actors responsible for alleged technical budget deviations have been overlooked. They believe individuals who should be held accountable for issues on the ground have been allowed to go free. The defense team is prepared to present all evidence and refute the prosecutor's charges at the trial, scheduled to begin Tuesday, August 11, 2026, at the Corruption Court in Central Jakarta.

In addition to Qoumas, the KPK has named three other suspects: former special staffer to the Religious Affairs Minister Alex, PT Makassar Toraja (Maktour) Operations Director Ismail Adham, and Chairman of the Indonesian Hajj and Umrah Travel Companies Association (Kesthuri) Asrul Azis Taba.

The safety of the pilgrims is my moral burden because I have experienced hajj being neglected.

— Yaqut Cholil Qoumas (as quoted by Mellisa Anggraini)Explaining the minister's rationale behind the discretionary decision on hajj quotas.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Tempo in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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