Mobile contest- Restricted by Malaysian Government
June 20th, 2008Celcom Mobile, which is the second largest mobile company in Malaysia, is stopped by the government as it was running the contest which was based on SMS for offering new cars. It was stopped as some of the unspecified sources have claimed it to be a resemblance of gambling and it also incurs high SMS charges.
The contest was named as “100 days, 100 cars” and it was declared by the Celcom that they would temporarily stop this contest as the regulatory authority has questioned it.
A government agency named Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission has instructed the Celcom to stop the contest because of the complaints of the participants for the high increase in the phone bills when they have participated in the contest through SMS.
The cost of each SMS is 5 ringgit whereas the average price of SMS is 0.20 ringgit. But the Celcom officials says that the cost of SMS is not high and added that it comes with additional mobile content such as ring tones for participants.
Also the Muslim community has complained that this contest is like a gambling and such things are forbidden under the laws of Islam.
Mohamad Asri Zainul Adidin who is the mufti of northern Perlis state while talking with Press reporter said that in Islam they call it as gambling as you pay but you buy nothing.
Also the Muslims in Malaysia contributes 60% of total population in Malaysia so according to the minister in charge of religious affairs , Ahmad Zahid Hamidi all the companies before launching such contests should seek advice of them.