KPK has uncovered payments made by travel associations to officials within the Ministry of Religious Affairs concerning the 2024 Hajj quota. Investigators are currently examining the flow of these funds.
“There’s a money trail originating from—or taken by—these associations and then transferred to certain individuals in the Ministry of Religious Affairs. That’s what we’re actively investigating,” stated Acting Deputy of Enforcement and Prevention Asep Guntur Rahayu at the KPK headquarters in Jakarta on Thursday, August 14, 2025.
Asep revealed that travel agencies often pay a fee to officials for each allocated Hajj quota, with amounts ranging from $2,600 to $7,000 USD—equivalent to approximately Rp 42 million to Rp 113 million.
He added, “We’re still calculating the exact fee. It might vary per quota, roughly between $2,600 and $7,000 USD. There are rough estimates, like multiplying a set number by a certain amount.”
While the case has progressed to the investigation phase, no suspects have been officially named yet. However, three individuals have been subject to travel bans abroad by the KPK, including former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas. These bans are in place because their presence in Indonesia is needed for further investigative steps, with the restrictions set for six months. Yaqut and the others are currently listed as witnesses.
A video explaining “Why KPK Banned Former Minister Yaqut from Traveling Abroad” can be viewed here: [Video link].
Yaqut was interviewed on August 7, spending around four hours giving testimony.
The core issue stems from the transfer of half of an additional 20,000 Hajj quotas allocated during Yaqut’s tenure. During a press briefing on August 9, 2025, Asep Guntur highlighted the distribution of the extra 20,000 quotas granted to President Joko Widodo following a meeting with Saudi officials.
The KPK states that redirecting half of this additional quota to special Hajj arrangements was not in accordance with regulations. They also revealed extensive involvement—over 100 travel agencies—in managing the additional quotas through connections with the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
“We’re investigating all aspects, including the distribution process. There are numerous travel agents involved—more than a hundred, I believe,” said Asep Guntur during a press conference at the KPK’s Red and White Building in South Jakarta on August 12.
He explained that many travel agencies received a portion of the additional quotas, with larger agencies tending to receive bigger shares—potentially 10,000 or more—while smaller agencies received around 10 or fewer. The division of quotas correlates with the size and capacity of each travel group.
