Suryadharma accused of large-scale misuse of funds

JAKARTA. A state prosecutor has accused former Religious Affairs Minister Suryadharma Ali of abusing his authority in relation to the management of the haj program between 2010 and 2013, causing Rp 27.28 billion (US$1.94 million) and 17.98 million Saudi Arabian riyal in state losses.

“[Suryadharma] breached the law by appointing incompetent people to the Haj Management Committee [PPIH] and misusing the national haj quota,” said prosecutor Supardi at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Monday.

The former minister, Supardi said, had illegally channeled funds to himself, 180 PPIH members, seven amirul haj (chief of pilgrims) and several corporations in Saudi Arabia, as well as allowing 1,771 haj pilgrims to jump the queue.

Suryadharma, according to the indictment, instructed the Religious Affairs Ministry’s director general for haj and umroh (minor pilgrimage), Slamet Riyanto, to produce a letter stipulating that all PPIH members should be civil servants from the within the ministry and related institutions.

Slamet, under Suryadharma’s approval, also accepted requests from the House of Representatives’ Commission VIII working committee to accommodate free haj for certain people and to give them positions on the PPIH.

Suryadharma himself also appointed members of the committee without due process, the indictment went on.

After the formation of the PPIH, Religious Affairs Ministry’s director of haj development Ahmad Kartono distributed operational and transportation funds amounting to Rp 12.78 billion to 155 PPIH members appointed by Suryadharma based on the House’s recommendations.

“The accused inserted names of his family members, adjutant, bodyguard, driver and his wife’s driver [as the fund’s recipients] so that they could perform haj for free,” Suhardi said as quoted by kompas.com.

Suryadharma also appointed seven people as amirul haj, in which capacity they received a total Rp 335.27 million.

Suryadharma stands accused of violating Law No. 31/1999 on corruption with a maximum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment.