Former Minister Yaqut Denies Receiving US$30,000 in Hajj Graft Case

March 31, 2026 | 05:11 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas was questioned again by Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) on Tuesday, March 31, 2026, at the agency’s Red and White Building, a day after investigators named two new suspects in the alleged corruption case involving the 2023–2024 hajj quota.

A detainee transport vehicle dropped Yaqut off in front of the KPK building at 12:47 PM local time. He entered the building calmly and proceeded to the second floor.

The questioning was brief. At 02:09 PM, Yaqut returned to the detainee vehicle to be taken back to the detention center, meaning he was questioned for about 82 minutes.

As he headed back to the vehicle, reporters asked about the newly disclosed allegation that one of the new suspects had handed US$30,000 to his former special staff member, Ishfah Abidal Aziz, also known as Alex.

The KPK has alleged that Alex acted as Yaqut’s representative, meaning the payment to the aide was effectively treated as a payment to the minister at the time.

“To the legal counsel,” Yaqut replied briefly, telling reporters to direct questions to his lawyers.

Asked again, specifically about the alleged US$30,000 payment, Yaqut eventually responded: “There was none.”

On Monday, the KPK named two new suspects in the case: Maktour Operations Director Ismail Adham, and PT Raudah Eksati Utama commissioner Asrul Azis Taba, who also chairs the Association of the Unity of Hajj and Umrah Tour Travel Agents of the Republic of Indonesia (Kesthuri).

Investigators suspect the two men played a role in arranging the allocation of additional special hajj quotas in ways that violated existing regulations. KPK Deputy for Enforcement and Execution Asep Guntur Rahayu said the alleged scheme also involved payments to state officials.

Asep said the case began when Ismail, Asrul, Forum Silaturahmi Association of Hajj and Umrah Travel Agents (Sathu) advisory board chairman Fuad Hasan Masyhur, and others met with then-Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut and his former special staff member Alex.

During the meeting, they allegedly sought additional special hajj quotas exceeding the legal cap of 8 percent.

The additional 20,000 hajj slots were granted by Saudi Arabia to Indonesia in 2024. “In the process, they divided the regular and special hajj quotas using a 50:50 scheme,” Asep said at the KPK’s Red and White Building in South Jakarta on Monday, March 30, 2026.

According to investigators, Ismail and Asrul then arranged the allocation of the extra special hajj quotas for hajj and umrah companies affiliated with Maktour. Asep said they worked with the Religious Affairs Ministry to secure the additional quotas, including hajj slots under the accelerated departure scheme known as T0.

The KPK suspects that Ismail gave US$30,000 to Alex, as well as US$5,000 and 16,000 Saudi riyals to Hilman Latief, director general of hajj and umrah administration at the ministry. In return, Maktour allegedly earned illicit profits of around Rp27.8 billion (US$1.7 million) in 2024.

Meanwhile, Asrul is accused of giving US$406,000 to Alex. Asep said eight Special Hajj Service Providers (PIHK) affiliated with Asrul also allegedly earned illicit profits totaling around Rp40.8 billion in 2024.

“The receipt of a sum of money by IAA and HL from the suspects is allegedly a representation of brother YCQ as the Minister of Religion at that time,” Asep said, referring to Ishfah Abidal Aziz, Hilman Latief, and Yaqut Cholil Qoumas by their initials.

M Raihan Muzzakki contributed to the writing of this article.

Read: Indonesia's 2026 Hajj Readiness Nears 100%, Says Minister

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