Ex Official from Ministry of Religious Affairs Reveals 50:50 Hajj Quota During Yaqut Era: No Legal Review, Ministerial Decree Allegedly Backdated

BANDA ACEH – Former Head of the Legal and Foreign Cooperation Bureau at the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Ahmad Bahiej, revealed that the split of the additional hajj quota into 50 percent regular and 50 percent special wasn't backed by proper legal study. This admission came up during a corruption trial at the Central Jakarta Corruption Court on Thursday (3/9/2026). Bahiej also confirmed there was a request to backdate the Minister of Religious Affairs Decree (KMA) Number 1156 of 2023. He admitted he only found out about the 50:50 scheme after an online meeting in January 2024 and didn't read the draft decree thoroughly because the process was rushed. This case involves former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas and three other defendants. Prosecutors confirmed that the Legal Bureau had no clear regulatory basis for distributing the 20 thousand additional hajj quota. https://www.harianaceh.co.id/2026/09/03/eks-pejabat-kemenag-bongkar-kuota-haji-5050-era-yaqut-tanpa-kajian-hukum-kma-disebut-di-backdate/