PDIP Condemns Quran Memorisation Challenge for Alcohol as 'Mockery of Religion'

PDIP faction leader in Commission VIII of the Indonesian House of Representatives, Selly Andriany Gantina, has criticised a promotional stunt for alcoholic beverages disguised as a Qur’an memorisation challenge at a music festival. Selly reminded that religion must not be turned into a marketing gimmick for alcohol.

“Religion must not be made into a marketing gimmick. Moreover, the Qur’an is being challenged or symbolically exchanged for alcoholic beverages. This is highly uneducational and dangerous if considered normal,” Selly told reporters on Tuesday (11/8/2026).

Selly said that using Qur’an memorisation to obtain alcoholic beverages is inappropriate and hurts Muslims. She said the Qur’an is a holy book whose position is very sacred in Islam.

“I see that making Qur’an memorisation part of a promotion or game to obtain alcoholic beverages is a highly inappropriate act and has the potential to hurt the feelings of Muslims,” Selly said.

“The Qur’an is a holy book and holds a very sacred position for Muslims, so it should not be positioned as a promotional tool for products that contradict religious values,” she continued.

Selly views this case as not merely a matter of product promotion. She urged those involved to distinguish between creativity in promotion and actions that demean religious symbols and sanctity.

“In the name of creativity, all boundaries must not be crossed. Freedom of expression still carries social and legal responsibility. Moreover, what is being used are verses of the Qur’an. This concerns religious sensitivity that must be respected,” she stated.

Selly asked law enforcement officials to conduct an objective investigation. She referred to Article 300 of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code.

“I ask law enforcement officials to conduct an objective examination of the incident, including tracing who created, disseminated, and is responsible for the content,” Selly said.

“Because, if examined carefully based on the facts and legal elements, Article 300 of Law Number 1 of 2023 concerning the Criminal Code regulates criminal acts against religion or belief, including acts in public that express hostility, hatred, or incitement against a religion or belief,” she added.

PDIP also urged the government to increase supervision of alcoholic beverage promotions in the digital space. She said freedom in the digital space must be accompanied by responsible action.

Previously, the Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) strongly condemned the viral promotion of alcoholic beverages disguised as a Qur’an memorisation challenge. MUI asserted that the action cannot be justified from any perspective.

As seen by detikcom on Tuesday (11/8/2026), in the circulating video, a booth for an alcoholic beverage product at a music festival held a challenge for visitors to memorise one of the surahs of the Qur’an, Ad-Dhuha. In the video, it was stated that visitors who could memorise it would receive a reward suspected to be alcoholic beverages.

Still in the video, visitors are seen memorising the verses of Ad-Dhuha one by one. There was also applause when the visitor finished memorising.