Ex-Minister Yaqut Charged with Rp622bn Hajj Quota Loss

Former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas has been accused of causing Rp 622.09 billion in state financial losses tied to alleged hajj quota corruption during the 2023–2024 period. Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) prosecutor Fahmi Idris alleges that Yaqut arbitrarily redirected and managed the allocation of 50 percent of the additional special hajj quota for 2024 without any technical study.

"The defendant also filled the additional special hajj quotas for 2023 and 2024 with Special Hajj Pilgrims Without Waiting Period (TO) / Special Hajj Pilgrims with Waiting Time x Years (Tx) not in accordance with the established mechanism," Fahmi said while reading the indictment at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Tuesday, August 11, 2026, as cited by Antara.

Fahmi explained that Yaqut allegedly committed the offense alongside his former special staffer Ishfah Abidal Aziz, alias Gus Alex; Maktour Operational Director Ismail Adham; and former Chairman of the Indonesian Hajj and Umrah Tour Travel Association Asrul Aziz Taba.

According to the prosecutor, the supplementary special hajj slots were filled to accommodate requests from the Special Hajj Organizer Association (PIHK) in exchange for acceleration fees collected from special pilgrims and organizers.

State Losses and Alleged Beneficiaries

In detail, state losses stemmed from a Rp438.22 billion gap in PIHK's revenues and expenditures for managing ineligible special hajj pilgrims during the 2024 pilgrimage. Additional losses arose from Rp39.95 billion in PIHK revenues generated by selling 2024 special hajj officer slots, alongside Rp143.92 billion in acceleration fees paid to fill supplementary special hajj slots for ineligible pilgrims in 2023 and 2024.

The prosecutor disclosed that several individuals personally profited from the scheme, with Yaqut allegedly pocketing US$271,500, or roughly Rp4.83 billion at an exchange rate of Rp17,800 per US dollar. The scheme also enriched Gus Alex by U$5.23 million (Rp93.09 billion) plus Rp330 million; Rizky Fisa Abadi by US$427,000 (Rp7.6 billion), Rp50 million, and US$48,000 (Rp854.4 million); and Abdul Muhyi by US$181,000 (Rp3.22 billion) and US$127,500 (Rp2.27 billion).

Furthermore, it enriched Ridwan Kurniawan by US$512,500 (Rp9.12 billion) and Rp250 million; Iyah Nuriyah by US$70,000 (Rp1.25 billion); Doddy Suhada by US$59,500 (Rp1.06 billion); and Kamal and Adam Fakih Mukodam by US$3,000 (Rp53.4 million) each.

Prosecutors added that the defendants' illicit activities enriched Bambang Sutrisno by US$80,000 (Rp1.42 billion); Hud Rifky Assegaf by US$130,000 (Rp2.31 billion); Anjas Asmara by US$30,000 (Rp534 million); and Hafiz by US$94,600 (Rp1.68 billion).

Other beneficiaries listed included Makki Abdul Soleh with US$5,000 (Rp89 million); Roy Kurniawan with US$18,500 (Rp329.3 million); Rachmat Wildan with US$7,000 (Rp124.6 million); Farid Aljawi with US$52,500 (Rp934.5 million); and Ahmad Taufik with US$126,200 (Rp2.25 billion).

Additional figures named in the indictment were Muzaki Kholis with US$84,500 (Rp1.5 billion); Badrusalam with US$4,500 (Rp80.1 million); Muhammad Zaki Yamani with Rp353.6 million; Amaludin Wahab with US$602,600 (Rp10.73 billion); and Syihabbul Muttaqin with US$493,400 (Rp8.78 billion).

The list further includes Tauhid Hamdi with US$20,000 (Rp356 million); Ali Makki with US$19,600 (Rp348.88 million); and Buchori Yusuf with US$56,000 (Rp996.8 million). Corporate entities were enriched as well, including 313 PIHK operators claiming a combined Rp478.17 billion and the Perahu Cooperative securing US$26,500 (Rp471.7 million).

Legal Charges and Yaqut's Defense Statements

For his alleged actions, Yaqut is charged with violating Article 603 in conjunction with Article 20 letter c of the Criminal Code (KUHP), or alternatively Article 3 in conjunction with Article 18 of Law No. 31/1999 on the Eradication of Corruption Crimes, as amended by Law No. 20/2001.

Previously, Yaqut's former special staffer Ishfah Abidal Aziz, alias Gus Alex, declined to disclose details regarding his meetings with various stakeholders during discussions on the draft allocation of additional 2024 hajj quotas. He directed inquiries about those meetings to KPK investigators.

"Ask the investigators; at the right time, I will make a statement," Alex told reporters after undergoing questioning at the KPK headquarters in South Jakarta on Thursday, January 29, 2026.

Meanwhile, Yaqut's defense attorney Mellisa Anggraini maintained that testimony from hundreds of witnesses failed to prove any direct financial kickbacks reached her client in the hajj quota corruption case. "Out of the 432 witnesses listed in the indictment, fortunately not a single one stated that Gus Yaqut received any cash flow," Mellisa told a press conference in Kebayoran Baru, South Jakarta, on Monday, August 10, 2026.

Read: Indonesia Eyes Bigger Role in Global Hajj, Umrah Food Supply Chain

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