Bandung Lawyers: Quran-Memorisation-for-Alcohol Challenge Cannot Be Resolved with Just an Apology

The Alliance of Bandung Advocates Movement (AABB) has condemned a challenge offering a bottle of alcohol in exchange for memorising verses of the Quran at The Sounds Project music festival on Sunday (9/8/2026). They are calling on law enforcement to intervene and pursue legal proceedings.

AABB Chairman Prof Anton Minardi expressed concern over the act of challenging attendees to recite Quranic verses in return for a bottle of alcohol and the promotion of alcohol at the music event. He urged that the matter be taken seriously and that the police investigate.

He stated that the Quran is a guide and a way of life for Muslims. Therefore, respect for the Quran is not only the duty of Muslims but of Indonesia’s diverse nation as a whole.

Furthermore, he noted that alcohol is forbidden in the Quran. Consequently, a challenge involving memorising the Quran to obtain a bottle of alcohol is unjustifiable and condemned.

He stressed that while the group respects freedom of expression, it must have limits and accountability. “AABB rejects all forms of improper commercialisation of religious symbols. The Quran is not material for a challenge, a joke, or a barter tool to obtain alcohol,” he said.

He stated that the issue cannot be resolved simply by deleting the content or issuing an apology. The responsible company must face sanctions.

“The company or business entity proven responsible must be sanctioned,” he asserted.

The group also called on the government and the House of Representatives to review alcohol prohibition policies to make them more comprehensive.