JAKARTA - Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison (IOH) apologized for the zakat-related campaign from the IM3 brand that caused public unrest.
In an official statement received by Antara, Saturday, SVP Head of Corporate Communications Indosat Ooredoo HutchisonOvidia Nomiamengatakan that the ad is an Anti Spam and Anti Scamunt feature campaign to protect customers from potential digital fraud.
"We convey that we have no intention to offend religious values or any group/organization. This is done in line with the increasing discovery of potential fraud in the name of zakat activities in the month of Ramadan," said Ovidia.
Based on the mobile operator's data, in 2025, digital fraud cases during Ramadan increased by 34.7 percent with 89 percent occurring through WhatsApp and 64 percent through phone calls.
Indosat has also conducted a thorough evaluation of the IM3 campaign and pulled the ad that sparked the protests.
"As a form of responsibility, all communication materials related to this campaign have been withdrawn and stopped from all channels," said Ovidia.
IM3 Indosat outdoor advertising material found on public transportation that displays the message: "Call Ngajak Zakat, Don't Pick It Up! Don't be a Scammer" is considered problematic by the Association of Zakat Management Organizations (POROZ) because it tends to be provocative.
According to the organization, the campaign could hurt public trust in the national zakat movement that is being built by various zakat institutions.
"This narrative can create doubts among the public to respond to the education and collection of zakat services carried out by official amils, who have been working in accordance with Law Number 23 of 2011 concerning Zakat Management," said the Chairman of POROZ Bukhori Muslim.
Indosat also expressed openness to collaborate with official zakat management institutions in strengthening protection and education of the public from potential fraud and maintaining public confidence in the distribution of zakat.
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