DistantNews
Support us
🇮🇩 Indonesia /Elections & Politics

Yaqut aide testifies that 24 lawmakers sought 3,000 riyals each

From CNN Indonesia · () Indonesian

Translated from Indonesian and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

News Named sources In the courts
  • Ishfah Abidal Azis, a former special aide to Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, testified that 24 members of the House Commission VIII working committee each requested 3,000 Saudi riyals.
  • Ishfah said he could provide only 1,500 riyals per person from his honorarium, allegedly for souvenir purchases, and believed the lawmakers received the cash.
  • He also described meetings with three Commission VIII leaders and alleged that committee leaders asked him to collect money from the Hajj catering provider, a claim another witness said he did not hear.

A former special aide to Indonesia’s religious affairs minister testified that 24 members of a House working committee each asked for 3,000 Saudi riyals during an official trip to Saudi Arabia. Ishfah Abidal Azis, also known as Gus Alex, said he could provide only half that amount.

Ishfah raised the issue while questioning Jaja Jaelani, a former director at the Religious Affairs Ministry’s Directorate of Umrah and Hajj Development, during a hearing at the Central Jakarta District Court’s corruption court. The hearing began on the night of Sept. 3 and continued into the early hours of Sept. 4.

Each initially requested 3,000 riyals per person, then I could only prepare 1,500 riyals per person from my honorarium.

· Ishfah Abidal AzisHe described the money allegedly requested by 24 Commission VIII working committee members.

He first established that the 24 lawmakers’ overseas travel had already been funded through Indonesia’s state budget and the House budget allocation. He then asked Jaja whether he remembered Ishfah telling him that each person initially requested 3,000 riyals, but that Ishfah could prepare only 1,500 riyals from his own honorarium. Jaja confirmed that he remembered the account.

Yes, that is correct.

· Jaja JaelaniHe confirmed that Ishfah had previously told him about the 1,500-riyal payments.

After the hearing, Ishfah said he believed the cash had reached each member. He said the lawmakers later met him and expressed thanks. According to Ishfah, the money was requested for buying souvenirs.

Ishfah also testified about a meeting with three Commission VIII leaders, Marwan Dasopang, Ashabul Kahfi and Abdul Wachid. He said a committee staff member named Yusuf contacted him to convey that the commission’s leaders wanted to meet. The meeting took place at Al Romansiah Aziziyah restaurant. Ishfah said he told Jaja that the commission and working committee leaders had asked him to collect money from Hajj catering providers, but Jaja said he had not heard that part of the account.

Thank you, Gus.

· Members of the working committee, as recalled by IshfahIshfah said members thanked him after receiving the cash.

Ishfah further said about 70 members of an oversight team, including lawmakers, stayed in Maktab 111 even though they were not entitled to do so. He said their presence caused overcrowding and forced pilgrims to move.

Souvenir money.

· Ishfah Abidal AzisHe explained the stated purpose of the requested payments.
About this summary

Originally published by CNN Indonesia in Indonesian. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

More Stories

From Our Blog