Prosecutors: 2024 extra hajj quota decree was backdated

KPK prosecutors at the Central Jakarta Corruption Court revealed that Minister of Religious Affairs Decree No. 1156 of 2023 on the additional 1445 H/2024 M hajj quota was backdated. In the indictment against former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas, prosecutors said the letter dated Dec. 21, 2023 was actually signed on Jan. 9, 2024. Prosecutors said the move left eligible pilgrims without enough time to pay the fees because the deadline was 30 days after the decree was issued, and the letter was also not widely circulated. Prosecutors also challenged the allocation of the 20,000 additional seats: 18,400 should have gone to regular hajj and 1,600 to special hajj under the 92 percent to 8 percent split, but the decree set aside 10,000 for regular hajj and 10,000 for special hajj. The same indictment said the filling of the additional quota was handled through a single channel via Fuad Hasan Masyhur.