Accumulated and deposited in banks since 2004, the Rp84.4 trillion haj funds can be sorely tempting to government offi cials who see an opportunity to make easy money, particularly when the interest alone—in the hundreds of billions—makes easy pickings. That much cash—deposited in banks without the assurance of the Savings Guarantee Board—is believed to have been a source of personal gain for officials of the Religious Affairs Ministry, the government agency that manages the lucrative haj pilgrimage business.

Keywords :
Suryadharma Ali , ,