Former Religious Affairs Minister Named Suspect in Hajj Quota Corruption Case

Jakarta: The Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) has officially named former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas as a suspect in an alleged corruption case related to the management and distribution of Hajj quotas at the Ministry of Religious Affairs.

KPK Deputy Chairperson Fitroh Rohcahyanto confirmed the development in a written statement on Friday, January 9, 2026.

“That is correct,” Fitroh said, without providing further details.

The KPK said it would soon announce the full results of its investigation into the alleged corruption surrounding the Hajj quota allocation.

The case centers on alleged irregularities in the distribution of additional Hajj quotas granted to Indonesia. The country was originally allocated an extra 20,000 quotas to help shorten the waiting list for pilgrims.

Under existing regulations, the additional quota should have been allocated 92 percent for regular Hajj pilgrims and 8 percent for special Hajj services. However, investigators found that the quotas were instead divided evenly, with 50 percent allocated to each category.

As part of the investigation, the KPK has questioned a number of officials within the Ministry of Religious Affairs. Several Umrah and Hajj travel service providers have also been summoned for questioning, including preacher Khalid Basalamah.