Gus Yaqut's Lawyer Unveils the Real Story Behind the Additional Hajj Quota Distribution
The attorney for former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, Mellisa Anggraini, laid out the chronology of the 2023-2024 additional hajj quota distribution in the first hearing at the Jakarta Central Corruption Court on Tuesday (11/8/2026). In 2023, Gus Yaqut proposed that the entire additional 8,000 quota be allocated to regular hajj because there were still many elderly pilgrims waiting in line after the pandemic. But the minutes of the House of Representatives Commission VIII meeting on May 22, 2023, showed a push for a portion to go to special hajj with the excuse of safeguarding the benefit-value funds managed by BPKH. In the end, they agreed on a split of 92 percent regular and 8 percent special.
As for the additional 20,000 pilgrim quota in 2024, Mellisa stated that Gus Yaqut only learned about it when President Jokowi announced it on Santri Day, October 22, 2023. The president emphasized that the quota was for Indonesian pilgrims, covering both regular and special. The 50:50 split came after mitigation with Saudi Arabia due to limitations in services, security, and logistics if it all went to regular hajj. Mellisa feels that there are other parties receiving funds who aren't being legally processed, while Gus Yaqut is made a defendant just for issuing a ministerial decree under limited circumstances.
In this case, Yaqut is charged together with three other defendants, causing state losses of Rp622 billion. Gus Yaqut is accused of enriching himself by US$271,500. Source: RMOL.
https://www.gelora.co/2026/08/