Malaysian Muslim authorities crack down on Valentine’s Day
Religious authorities in Malaysia are running a campaign against Valentine’s Day, targeting young Muslim couples. Slate France reports that 300 protesters, age 19 to 25, are distributing flyers to loving pairs at the bottom of the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur today.
Malaysian Muslim authorities believe that Valentine’s Day leads to the idolization of one’s partner, which is a sin. Last Friday, during the official Muslim sermon broadcast across the country, religious authorities made a call to “hate” the celebration. They are even encouraging parents to forbid their children from cutting out heart-shaped cards. And Malaysian couples wishing for a little privacy should avoid hotels that rent out their rooms by the hour tonight because, for the past two years, police have been raiding these establishments on Feb. 14.
But young Muslim couples aren’t taking this campaign very seriously: The only Facebook page that could be found on the campaign has gathered a measly nine “likes.” Many young adults have simply been working around the anti-Valentine’s Day campaign by celebrating a day early or a day late.
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