Khalid Basalamah Explains His Reasons for Accepting the Special Hajj Departure Offer

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com – Khalid Zeed Abdullah Basalamah, director and owner of PT Zahra Oto Mandiri (Uhud Tour), has expressed confidence in the special hajj departure offer presented to his company. Why does he believe in it?

The offer was initially communicated to Khalid by Ibn Mas'ud, a commissioner of PT Muhibbah Mulia Wisata, for departures planned for 2024.

Khalid accepted the offer because he considered the scheme for using the special hajj quota presented by Ibn Mas'ud to be officially sanctioned by the government.

"As I remember, it involved a visa that could be officially used," Khalid explained when discussing Ibn Mas'ud's offer during a trial concerning the alleged corruption of additional 2023-2024 special hajj quotas at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Tuesday (20/10/2026).

Khalid was present in the courtroom as a witness in a case involving former Minister of Religious Affairs Yaqut Cholil Qoumas.

He elaborated that prior to accepting the offer, Uhud Tour had already paid for the dispatch of pilgrims using a furoda visa or mujamalah visa.

However, Ibn Mas'ud later proposed a scheme that would allow pilgrims to depart during the same year using the special hajj quota without having to wait in line according to their registration numbers.

Khalid admitted he was intrigued by this offering because PT Muhibbah Mulia Wisata, owned by Ibn Mas'ud, already had the license as a Special Hajj Service Provider (PIHK).

"Precisely because he already has a PIHK, we felt more assured as PIHK certainly has a quota," he said.

At that time, Khalid stated that PT Zahra Oto Mandiri was new and unable to manage its own hajj quota. Therefore, he accepted the offer for the dispatch of pilgrims to go through PT Muhibbah Mulia Wisata.

Following the agreement, Khalid mentioned that they withdrew funds previously paid for the furoda visa and redirected them as payment for the special hajj departure scheme through Muhibbah.

He indicated that they understood the payment of 4,500 US dollars per pilgrim to be the cost of the special hajj visa to be used for departures in 2024.

Khalid claimed he was unaware that the payment was linked to any fees for expediting the filling of the additional special hajj quota.

"No, I did not understand at all if that was for expediting. We only knew there was a visa and that the visa could be used," he stated.

KOMPAS.com/Fristin Intan Sulistyowati Director and owner of PT Zahra Oto Mandiri or Uhud Tour, Khalid Zeed Abdullah Basalamah, presented as a witness in the trial of the alleged corruption of additional hajj quotas for 2023-2024 at the Jakarta Corruption Court on Tuesday (20/10/2026).

During the trial, Khalid clarified that the administration of the pilgrimage dispatch was entrusted to Ibn Mas'ud and his staff. According to him, Uhud Tour only prepared the pilgrims and fulfilled the required payments.