Jakarta. An MC has issued a public apology following widespread online outrage caused by an unscripted stunt at an alcoholic beverage booth during a music festival in Jakarta on Sunday.

The controversy erupted after viral social media videos showed an announcement in front of the Newport liquor booth, challenging festivalgoers to recite Surah Ad-Dhuha, a sacred chapter of the Quran, in exchange for free alcoholic drinks.

The incident drew sharp criticism from social media users and religious organizations in Muslim-majority Indonesia, who condemned the act as deeply disrespectful. In Islam, the consumption of alcohol is strictly prohibited (haram), making the pairing of Quranic verses with an alcoholic beverage promotional offer a severe breach of religious ethics for local audiences.

Addressing the backlash via his personal Threads account on Tuesday, the event host, identified as Ega, clarified that the challenge was purely a spontaneous action by a festival attendee and was not part of any official brand promotion.

Ega explained that the incident occurred during a break between performances while he was interacting with crowds near the booth. An audience member wearing a white shirt suddenly grabbed his microphone and initiated the challenge to the crowd.

"The attendee immediately offered a challenge to recite a Quranic verse to other festivalgoers, promising rewards provided by the attendee themselves," Ega wrote in his statement.

The MC acknowledged that he was at fault for failing to immediately take back the microphone, acknowledging his responsibility as an MC to control the stage and ensure activities aligned with the brand's approved guidelines.

"I emphasize that the brand (Newport) has no connection to or responsibility for this incident. I personally offer my deepest apologies for failing to control the spontaneous action of the audience member, which caused public uproar," Ega stated.

He added that the experience serves as a crucial lesson for his professional career to prevent similar incidents from occurring in the future.

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