“I strongly urge everyone at the Ministry of Hajj to ensure there is no budget leakage,” Yusuf said after attending a graduation ceremony at Maulana Malik Ibrahim State Islamic University (UIN) in Malang, East Java, on Saturday.
He stressed that every ministry official bears equal responsibility to ensure the proper and transparent use of Hajj funds.
“Strong prudence is essential to prevent such problems from occurring,” he said.
Yusuf warned that even a small percentage of leakage could result in significant financial losses for the public, particularly for prospective Hajj pilgrims.
“Even one percent is massive — that could mean around Rp200 billion (US$12 million). This is public money, the people’s money, and it must be accounted for both in this life and the hereafter,” he added.
Related news: KPK urges transparency in Indonesia’s 2026 Hajj procurement
To strengthen preventive measures, the ministry has coordinated with the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) to monitor and support efforts to keep the Hajj process free of corruption.
The collaboration also includes background checks and performance reviews of personnel currently serving or set to serve in the ministry.
“We will be recruiting extensively from other ministries, and those already in office will undergo vetting by the KPK to avoid future issues,” Yusuf said.
On Friday (Oct. 3), Yusuf met with KPK officials to establish a communication channel between the ministry and the anti-graft commission.
KPK Secretary-General Cahya Hardianto Harefa welcomed the initiative, affirming the commission’s commitment to supporting corruption prevention in Hajj fund management.
Harefa added that the KPK has conducted multiple studies and investigations related to Hajj operations to enhance transparency and public trust.
Related news: KPK uncovers Hajj corruption impacting subsidies, pilgrimage costs
Translator: Ananto, Kenzu
Editor: Rahmad Nasution
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