World · South & Central Asia · 3 hrs ago
Khalid Basalamah testifies in Indonesia’s Hajj quota corruption trial
Khalid Basalamah testified in a Jakarta corruption trial over the allocation of extra Hajj places in 2023 and 2024.
He appeared as the director of Uhud Tour, a travel company that arranged pilgrimages.
Basalamah said he returned $554,500 to Indonesia’s anti-corruption agency, the KPK, as repayment of a fee paid in 2024.
He also testified that Uhud Tour paid $4,500 per pilgrim for expedited special Hajj visas after an offer from Ibnu Mas’ud.
Basalamah said he did not understand that the payment was an acceleration fee and had not asked the Ministry of Religious Affairs about it.
He said an offer of a VIP maktab led Uhud Tour’s pilgrims to switch from the furoda route to special Hajj places from an additional quota.
The trial involves former Religious Affairs Minister Yaqut Cholil Qoumas and three other defendants; the account gives no further details about what happens next.
Khalid Basalamah testified as a witness in Indonesia’s alleged corruption case involving additional Hajj quotas.
The hearing was held on October 20, 2026, at the Jakarta Corruption Court.
Basalamah said he had returned USD 554,500 to the Corruption Eradication Commission.
He testified that Uhud Tour paid a USD 4,500-per-pilgrim fee for expedited visas for special Hajj pilgrims.
Basalamah said his pilgrims switched from the furoda route to special Hajj after an offer from Ibnu Mas’ud.
- Who
- Khalid Basalamah, director of Uhud Tour, testified as a witness.
- What
- He gave testimony in an alleged corruption case involving the distribution of additional Hajj quotas.
- When
- October 20, 2026.
- Where
- The Jakarta Corruption Court in Central Jakarta, Indonesia.
- Why
- The KPK prosecutors called him as a witness in the case.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
Basalamah said he paid an expedited Hajj fee.
Basalamah testified at the Jakarta Corruption Court.
- Returned funds
- USD 554,500
- Expedited visa fee
- USD 4,500 per pilgrim
- Trial date
- October 20, 2026
- Case period
- 2023–2024 Hajj quota distribution
- Witness role
- Director of Uhud Tour
What people are saying
I returned USD 554,500 to the KPK.
I don’t understand at all that it was expedited; we only knew there was a visa and that the visa could be used.