KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 10: A Gerakan state Youth leader in Kedah has been advised to respect the rights of Muslims to live according to their religion, after he attacked PAS for reportedly saying it would discourage Muslim youths from indulging in Valentine's Day celebration.
STUPID CUPID? ... Tan puts up a passionate defence of Valentine's Day
“I regret the statement by PAS Youth Chief that implied Valentine’s Day would be filled with sinful activities and immoral acts," said Tan Keng Liang, referring to a report by AFP quoting PAS Youth leader Nasrudin Hasan Tantawi as decrying the moral affects on Muslim youths who observe Valentine's Day, a popular celebration in Western countries to commemorate a Roman Christian priest.
Tan, known for his right-wing Chinese views, had in recent times issued statements on issues involving Muslims.
Last week, he condemned thousands of Muslims who participated in a protest in Kuala Lumpur in support of the ongoing Egyptian revolution, saying it should not be held on the second day of the Chinese New Year.
Angry Tan
Reports of Muslims being told to stay away from Valentine's Day however clearly angered the youthful Tan, who lambasted PAS for having "extreme ideologies" which were "clearly not acceptable to most people in Malaysia".
Tan argued that to suggest Valentine's Day contributes to moral decay is to insult those who celebrate it.
"This is clearly a blatant insult to those who celebrate Valentine’s Day in Malaysia. It would indirectly cast doubt over the morality of all those who will celebrate Valentine’s Day," he added.
Responding to Tan's outburst, PAS's Titiwangsa member of parliament Dr Lo’ Lo Mohd Ghazali said nobody was stopping Tan from celebrating Valentine's Day, and advised him to respect the rights of Muslims to teach their youngsters about Islamic morality.
“Non-Muslims who want to celebrate, we are not disturbing. That’s your right," she posted on Twitter.
Lo'Lo however hoped non-Muslims would reciprocate by acknowledging Muslims' right to discourage their youths from celebrating Valentine’s Day.
She added such efforts by Muslims were part of the mission to overcome moral decadence among Muslims, contributing to out-of-wedlock pregnancies and abandoned babies.
Valentine's Day is celebrated on February 14 every year, ostensibly to celebrate love but which of late has been promoted as a day for 'passionate love' among unmarried couples. This has led many Muslim leaders and parents expressing worry about the trend, which is being followed by unsuspecting Muslim teenagers.
Highly commercialised and intertwined with pre-Christian pagan customs, it draws its name from a Christian priest Valentine (whose real identity is disputed) who was persecuted by the Roman Emperor Aurelian. In 1969, Pope Paul VI deleted the celebration from the Roman calendar of saints, but permitted its religious observation.
Related:
Gerakan leader condemns anti-Mubarak rally
Gerakan state leader's 'prego-phobia' draws flak
http://en.harakahdaily.net/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=2254:valentino-tan-advised-fater-outburst-against-muslims-shunning-un-islamic-practices&catid=34:primary&Itemid=56
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