New Religious Affairs Minister Visits Anti-Graft Body

Jakarta (Antara) - Newly inducted Religious Affairs Minister Lukman Hakim Saifuddin visited the Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) office on Tuesday to hold consultation on Hajj pilgrimage management at his ministry. "I only want to get inputs from the KPK," he stated while arriving at the KPK building on Tuesday. Before being inducted by President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Monday to replace Suryadharma Ali, Lukman remarked that he will seek advice from the KPK on the management of the Hajj pilgrimage. "It (the consultation) is related to the functioning and tasks of the Religious Affairs Ministry in the management of Hajj pilgrimage," he remarked. The KPK has named Suryadharma Ali as a suspect in an alleged graft case related to the Hajj pilgrimage program between 2012 and 2013. He resigned as the religious affairs minister on May 26, 2014. Two days later, Director General of Hajj and Umroh Anggito Abimanyu also tendered his resignation. Suryadharma Ali is the second minister to resign from the current cabinet after Sports Minister Andi Mallarangeng in December 2012 over alleged involvement in a corruption case. The alleged graft case covers the misappropriation of budget funds from several elements, including Hajj pilgrimage cost, accommodation, and transportation fees in Saudi Arabia. The alleged graft case is believed to have inflicted losses worth Rp1 trillion. (*) Reporting by Desca Lidya Natalia EDITED BY INE