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Watchdog says ministry took hajj funds meant for pilgrims
NU Online · Ahad, 23 Januari 2011 | 02:44 WIB
Jakarta, NU Online
Indonesia Corruption Watch on Friday revived allegations that the interest earned on hajj funds paid by prospective pilgrims had been misappropriated by the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
“Based on our findings, the hajj funds are being used for 13th-month salaries, transportation, accommodation and lodging for officials [while on hajj], when it should be for the pilgrims,” ICW activist Firdaus Ilyas said.r />
Hundreds of thousands of prospective pilgrims pay the ministry a deposit to register for one of the limited places on each year’s hajj pilgrimage. The deposit was previously set at Rp 20 million ($2,200) but was raised to Rp 25 million in March.
The funds are held by the ministry in state-owned banks and can be stored for years before a pilgrim gets a place. The fund is now estimated to hold more than Rp 1.2 trillion.
Firdaus said the law covering the management of the hajj stipulates that the government should serve and protect the pilgrims. Another section of the law further states that the operational costs of hajj officials should be taken from the state and regional budgets.
“We will look at [ICW’s] findings. We want this case to be completely unraveled,” said Abdul Kadir Karding, head of House Commission VIII which oversees the hajj.
“We value the findings of any institution which strictly monitors the use of hajj funds such as ICW and the Corruption Eradication Commission [KPK].”
The KPK last year issued a report identifying 48 flaws in the ministry’s management of the hajj. The report detailed the findings of the commission’s investigation into the ministry’s management of the 2009 hajj, including logistics, transportation, religious education and accommodation for pilgrims.
One of the specific problems cited by the KPK in its report was the lack of transparency in the payment of interest made on fees paid by hajj applicants.
At the time, Abdul Ghafur Djawahir, secretary of the ministry’s hajj directorate, told the Jakarta Globe that the KPK’s findings were just weaknesses in the system that needed to be fixed and were not related to graft.
Ministry officials could not be reached for comment on ICW’s allegations on Friday.
Abdul Kadir, the lawmaker, said the use of the funds should be transparent as the money belongs to the pilgrims who want to practice their religion.
“Monitoring by independent parties is very important as it will push the ministry to use the fund effectively and wisely, and keep its practices clean,” he said.
He added that the ministry should be open to investigation by any concerned institution to ensure the funding was not being misused. (jg/dar)
Indonesia Corruption Watch on Friday revived allegations that the interest earned on hajj funds paid by prospective pilgrims had been misappropriated by the Ministry of Religious Affairs.
“Based on our findings, the hajj funds are being used for 13th-month salaries, transportation, accommodation and lodging for officials [while on hajj], when it should be for the pilgrims,” ICW activist Firdaus Ilyas said.
Hundreds of thousands of prospective pilgrims pay the ministry a deposit to register for one of the limited places on each year’s hajj pilgrimage. The deposit was previously set at Rp 20 million ($2,200) but was raised to Rp 25 million in March.
The funds are held by the ministry in state-owned banks and can be stored for years before a pilgrim gets a place. The fund is now estimated to hold more than Rp 1.2 trillion.
Firdaus said the law covering the management of the hajj stipulates that the government should serve and protect the pilgrims. Another section of the law further states that the operational costs of hajj officials should be taken from the state and regional budgets.
“We will look at [ICW’s] findings. We want this case to be completely unraveled,” said Abdul Kadir Karding, head of House Commission VIII which oversees the hajj.
“We value the findings of any institution which strictly monitors the use of hajj funds such as ICW and the Corruption Eradication Commission [KPK].”
The KPK last year issued a report identifying 48 flaws in the ministry’s management of the hajj. The report detailed the findings of the commission’s investigation into the ministry’s management of the 2009 hajj, including logistics, transportation, religious education and accommodation for pilgrims.
One of the specific problems cited by the KPK in its report was the lack of transparency in the payment of interest made on fees paid by hajj applicants.
At the time, Abdul Ghafur Djawahir, secretary of the ministry’s hajj directorate, told the Jakarta Globe that the KPK’s findings were just weaknesses in the system that needed to be fixed and were not related to graft.
Ministry officials could not be reached for comment on ICW’s allegations on Friday.
Abdul Kadir, the lawmaker, said the use of the funds should be transparent as the money belongs to the pilgrims who want to practice their religion.
“Monitoring by independent parties is very important as it will push the ministry to use the fund effectively and wisely, and keep its practices clean,” he said.
He added that the ministry should be open to investigation by any concerned institution to ensure the funding was not being misused. (jg/dar)
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