Indonesia's Hajj Quota Debate: Presidential Directive at Center of Controversy

The debate surrounding the allocation of Hajj quotas for 2024 in Indonesia has taken a new turn following testimony from the lawyer of the former Minister of Religious Affairs. According to the lawyer, the proposal to divide the quota between regular and special Hajj pilgrims on a 50:50 basis was discussed after a directive from President Joko Widodo. This directive reportedly emerged during a meeting between former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas and President Widodo on November 27, 2023. The meeting discussed the evaluation of the 2023 Hajj pilgrimage, which recorded a high number of pilgrim deaths, reaching 800. The lawyer explained that the directive pertained to the safety of pilgrims (hifdzun nafs). She noted that considerations for the 2024 Hajj implementation included the continued high number of elderly pilgrims, around 45,000, and the expectation of more extreme weather conditions compared to the previous year. Based on this presidential directive, studies and simulations were conducted. "How could it be that there was no study?" the lawyer questioned, emphasizing the process undertaken. She added that the Directorate General of Hajj and Umrah (PHU) of the Ministry of Religious Affairs possesses technical data related to Hajj operations, including routes, services, and pilgrim demographics, which would facilitate such studies. Furthermore, former Director General of PHU, Hilman Latief, also testified and confirmed the existence of President Widodo's directive regarding the 50:50 Hajj quota split. Mellisa Anggraini, the lawyer, clarified why this was not presented in a working meeting at the House of Representatives (DPR) on November 27, 2023. She stated that the additional 20,000 quota had not yet officially appeared in the Integrated Hajj Computerization System (Siskohat). Consequently, the discussions at the DPR at that time were considered premature. The decisions made then should have only pertained to the basic quota as outlined in Ministerial Decree (KMA) 1005, not an unconfirmed additional quota. The additional quota discussed was therefore based on assumptions. Anggraini asserted that the DPR did not have the authority to determine the Hajj quota allocation for 2024 at that juncture; their authority at that time was limited to the costs of organizing the pilgrimage, not the quota determination. She reiterated that the 50:50 quota allocation policy was not driven by an intent for corruption or to enrich specific parties but was directly linked to the presidential directive concerning pilgrim safety. Technical considerations regarding the situation in Mina were also mentioned. Moving approximately 27,000 pilgrims from Mina Jadid to zones 3 and 4 for the basic quota alone presented significant logistical challenges. The lawyer highlighted that adding to this burden was already difficult, questioning the subsequent debate over the allocation of 18,400 additional pilgrims. Four defendants are currently being prosecuted in the alleged corruption case of additional Hajj quotas for 2023-2024, which is said to have caused state financial losses amounting to Rp622,090,207,166.41 (approximately Rp622 billion), according to an investigative audit report by the Indonesian Supreme Audit Agency (BPK). The defendants include former Minister of Religious Affairs (2019-2024) Yaqut Cholil Qoumas; Yaqut's Special Staff Ishfah Abidal Azis, also known as Gus Alex; Maktour Operations Director Ismail Adham; and Chairman of the Kesthuri Association and Commissioner of PT Raudah Eksati Utama, Asrul Azis Taba. The case also allegedly enriched other parties, including 313 Hajj and Umrah Organizing Companies (PIHK). Source: CNN Indonesia