Valentine's Day blues for Malaysian Moslem couples

The couples, who were caught in hotel rooms, parked cars and behind "bushes in dark places", were rounded up Wednesday night in Selangor state in a raid dubbed "Operation Red Roses". The Selangor Islamic Department released about 100 couples after they produced their marriage certificates, while 44 more are to be charged in a religious court for being caught in "comprising" situations.

The 44 include a senior government official caught with a 17-year- old prostitute in a hotel room, a naked couple in a parked car, a man hiding in the ceiling of a hotel room and a youth clad only in his underwear who jumped from the first floor of a hotel to escape the raiding party. The remaining couples, who were arrested for not so "severe" offences, such as kissing and cuddling, were ordered to attend counselling. A spokesman of the Selangor Islamic Department denied that it was inconsiderate to arrest courting Moslems on Valentine's Day. "We found many couples holding hands or sitting together in parks," he was quoted as saying by the Star daily. "We did not arrest them. We advised them to go home." The operation, he said, was to remind Moslems to "toe the line". Islamic officials in Malaysia have long warned Moslems not to celebrate Valentine's Day because it was named after a Christian saint.

Moslem Malaysia has special anti-vice Islamic squads, which routinely patrol hotels, parks, pubs and discos to nab Moslems flouting Islamic laws, such as drinking liquor, wearing "indecent" clothing or being caught alone with a member of the opposite sex who is not a relative. Courting Moslem couples convicted of "khalwat", or close proximity, can be jailed for up to two years, but most are fined.

(dpa)