KUALA LUMPUR: The anti-Valentine’s Day campaign by the Malaysian Islamic Development Department (Jakim) is meant to guide and advise Muslims to stay away from the celebration, Tan Sri Muhyiddin Yassin said.
The Deputy Prime Minister said the campaign was not to enforce any ruling against those observing the event.
“We only want to advise that, from the perspective of Islam, Valentine’s Day is not appropriate for Muslims,” he told a press conference after a walkabout to look at bus and light rail transit (LRT) services here yesterday.
Jakim launched its campaign in Putrajaya on Friday.
The National Fatwa Council had decreed in 2005 that Muslims should refrain from celebrating Valentine’s Day because it is not part of Islamic teachings.
Muhyiddin said people of other faiths were free to observe the event as it is an old tradition where people express their love for each other.
“We (Muslims) do not want to belittle Valentine’s Day. It is an old tradition but not appropriate from the Islamic perspective,” he reiterated.
Muhyiddin added that the Government did not want to see any misunderstanding or suspicion arising from the Valentine’s Day celebration.
“There should not be any feeling that we do not respect the practices of non-Muslims,” he said.
On PAS Youth’s plan for spot checks on Muslims in Pakatan Rakyat states, Muhyiddin said it was “extreme”.
Muhyiddin took the U82 bus from Wisma UOA Damansara to KL Sentral and switched to the nearby LRT station and got off at Masjid Jamek.
He said Kuala Lumpur’s public transport system was on its way to meeting targets set under the National Key Result Area to boost passenger numbers.
“I asked several passengers and they told me that facilities at LRT and bus stations have improved greatly,” he said.
He said efforts to integrate the bus, LRT and monorail systems would take time as it had to be completed in stages.
Transport Minister Datuk Seri Kong Cho Ha, who was also present, said Valentine’s Day was simply a day to strengthen ties among people.
He criticised those who claimed that the celebration had religious connotations.
“To me, it is not limited to young or unmarried people. Valentine’s Day is celebrated by even old married couples,” he said.
Kong said the MCA in his Lumut, Perak, constituency organises Valentine’s Day dinners for families to get together.
“It is celebrated by people from all sorts of organisations and backgrounds and is not related to any religion,” he stressed.