ASIATODAY.ID, JAKARTA — The 20,000 additional Hajj quotas granted by the Saudi Arabian government to Indonesia—following a conversation between former President Joko Widodo and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MBS)—have now sparked a major scandal.
Indonesia’s Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has named former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas a suspect after the “state gift” quotas from Riyadh were allocated in violation of regulations, allegedly resulting in state losses exceeding IDR 1 trillion (approximately USD 66 million).
Yaqut’s former special staff member, Ishfah Abidal Aziz, also known as Gus Alex, has also been named a suspect. The case highlights how the high-level diplomatic initiative—intended to reduce Indonesia’s Hajj waiting list, which could extend up to 47 years—was allegedly mismanaged domestically.
“There were already clear regulations, yet the Minister of Religious Affairs at that time, YCQ (Yaqut Cholil Qoumas), divided the quotas 50-50, or 10,000 each. This clearly violated the law. That’s where it all started,” said Asep Guntur Rahayu, Acting Deputy for Enforcement and Execution at KPK, on Monday, January 12, 2026.
Saudi Quotas Meant for the State, Not Individuals
Asep emphasized that the 20,000 additional quotas were granted by Saudi Arabia to the Republic of Indonesia, not to the Minister of Religious Affairs or any individual.
“The quotas are for the state, intended for the Indonesian people,” he said.
Under Article 64 of Law No. 8 of 2019 on Hajj and Umrah Management, 8 percent of quotas are designated for special Hajj, while 92 percent are for regular Hajj.
However, KPK discovered that the 20,000 additional quotas were split evenly—10,000 for regular Hajj and 10,000 for special Hajj—triggering allegations of mismanagement and misuse.
Role of Gus Alex
Ishfah Abidal Aziz (IAA), or Gus Alex, was implicated as a suspect for his involvement in the irregular allocation of the additional Hajj quotas, including alleged kickbacks and other financial irregularities.
Earlier, on August 9, 2025, KPK announced it had begun investigating the Hajj quota case. By August 11, the commission estimated preliminary state losses of more than IDR 1 trillion. Three individuals were barred from traveling abroad: Yaqut, Gus Alex, and Fuad Hasan Masyhur, owner of the Hajj travel bureau Maktour.
As of January 9, 2026, two of the three—Yaqut and Gus Alex—have been officially named suspects in the Hajj quota corruption case.
DPR’s Hajj Inquiry Committee Findings
In addition to KPK’s investigation, Indonesia’s parliamentary Hajj inquiry committee identified irregularities in the 2024 Hajj management, particularly the 50-50 split of the 20,000 Saudi-given additional quotas. This allocation was deemed inconsistent with Article 64 of Law No. 8/2019. (AT Network)
Follow Us at Google News and WA Channel