Pramono Condemns Quran Memorisation Challenge for Alcohol, Calls It a Desecration

Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung has condemned a promotional campaign for alcoholic beverages disguised as a Quran memorisation challenge. Pramono stated that promoting alcohol by involving religious activities should not occur in Jakarta and has instructed his staff to take firm action.

“Firstly, regarding the viral promotion of alcoholic beverages, especially when linked to religious activities, this truly desecrates the religious life that we all uphold in Jakarta,” Pramono said at Jakarta City Hall on Tuesday (11/8/2026).

Pramono said he would ask his staff to immediately follow up on the matter. He requested that the Assistant for People’s Welfare of DKI Jakarta, Ali Maulana Hakim, coordinate the necessary steps.

“For that reason, I will ask the Assistant for People’s Welfare, Mr Ali, to immediately coordinate and take firm action against something that should not happen in Jakarta,” he stated.

Pramono reiterated that the DKI Jakarta Provincial Government regrets the incident. “So, once again, the DKI Jakarta Government regrets that this happened in Jakarta,” he said.

Previously, the Chairman of the MUI Fatwa Division, Prof KH Asrorun Ni’am Sholeh, stated that the marketing gimmick combining holy verses with alcoholic beverages violated religious order, moral ethics, and applicable law. The MUI said the perpetrators must be held accountable for their actions.

“Such actions cannot be justified, whether religiously, morally, ethically, or legally. The perpetrators must be held accountable for their actions,” Ni’am said, as seen on the MUI Digital page.

The Professor of Islamic Jurisprudence at UIN Jakarta explained that the Quran is the highly sacred Kalamullah and reciting it is a form of worship of high value. Conversely, alcoholic beverages are a type of drink strictly forbidden in the Quran.

According to Ni’am, creating a gimmick of reading the Quran with the lure of an alcoholic beverage prize is a form of degrading the sanctity of the Quran.

“Creating a gimmick of reading the Quran with the lure of an alcoholic beverage prize is a form of degrading the sanctity of the Quran,” he continued.