Abdul Khalik, Jakarta – The House of Representatives is considering shifting the management of Indonesia's haj fund from the Religious Affairs Ministry to a private firm following ongoing misappropriation scandals and worsening services for pilgrims in the past two years.
Some factions at the House have signed a proposal requesting the ministry, which under the 2006 haj law controls funds related to the pilgrimage, allow for investigations and an audit into the haj management to occur.
Prosperous Justice Party (PKS) faction head Mahfudz Siddiq said here Thursday the management of the haj fund in 2007 and 2008 had been very poor compared to the past, with accusations of embezzlement of public money remaining unanswered.
"Many pilgrims were neglected, went hungry and received poor accommodation. What did they get for paying such large fees? That's why we are filing a proposal for an inquiry into the haj management," he said.
Mahfudz said the proposal, which had been received by the House speakers and would be tabled at the House's Consultative Body later this month, was the first step toward haj management reform, better services for pilgrims and more transparent use of funds.
"If the investigation finds the ministry mismanaged funds, we have all the reasons to amend the law and transfer the haj management to a private and independent body," he said.
Ganjar Pranowo of the Indonesian Democratic Party of Struggle (PDI-P) said his party supported the audit of the haj management as a first step to finding irregularities within the ministry.
Each year, Indonesia sends around 200,000 pilgrims to Mecca.
Independent observers and lawmakers on pilgrimage this year reported that thousands of Indonesian pilgrims were neglected without proper food and shelter.
Political expert Fachry Ali urged the government to radically reform the haj management and hold the minister responsible for the poor dealings with pilgrims.
"We can't let people who are trying to fulfill their religious activities suffer because of poor management at the ministry. The fact that people accept this treatment only because they want to have a blessed pilgrimage only doubles the sins of (the organizer) who mistreated them," he said.
The Religious Affairs Ministry has also been accused of misusing around Rp 6 trillion of annual haj funds. Indonesia Corruption Watch (ICW) has revealed that Minister Maftuh Basyuni received millions of rupiah from the Ummah Trust Fund (DAU), an accusation later confirmed by the minister, who argued it was legal and that he had not received any money since May.
However, ICW said it had a document proving the minister still received US$5,000 on May 5.
"We will submit the new document to the KPK (Corruption Eradication Commission) soon," Firdaus Ilyas of ICW said. ICW filed a report to the KPK on Dec. 4 about the money received by the minister.
Another source of alleged fund misuse is the interest accumulated by the haj fund.
"Where is the money now? Who gets it? We don't know. It is an off-budget fund. It can be used for anything – as a 'cash-cow' for political campaigns or to pay lawmakers to smooth the passage of programs or bills. We demand it be abolished and handed over to the state as non-tax revenue," Emerson Yuntho of ICW said.