Youths interviewed in Kuala Lumpur told IOL that they were confused with the warning of the Mufti and the almost ‘official’ declaration of Saturday as Valentine’s Day in Malaysia.

“The television, the newspapers and almost every body at the top are saying this is a great day for lovers, a day to woo the loved ones or to get new girl friends,” said Shamsyul, who is a student in a college in Kuala Lumpur.

At his college, the young girls and boys were busy discussing which flowers they wish to receive on that day, the girls urging the boys not to limit their expenses when it comes to satisfying their lovers.

“We are Muslims yet we are also bombarded everyday since the beginning of this week by the Valentine’s Day celebration, just have a look at the shops and watch the local TV networks and you will understand,” Mariana, a student at the Informatics school said to IOL.

She handed a flower to her friend, sitting by her side, saying that this flower seems to be ‘illegal’ since Valentine’s Day is said to be a non-Muslim celebration.

“The Ulama never comes forward to explain to us what is the meaning of these celebrations and the authorities allows such advertisement of Valentine’s Day as if its ok for the Muslims to celebrate, so what you expect me to do?” lambasted a young man who was angered when IOL asked him why he celebrated the day.

He added that the authorities seemed to have found a “new reason to become very Islamic all of a sudden by condemning Mariah Carey for her upcoming show.”

A concert to be given by Mariah Carey - the U.S. singer - due to organize a tour of South East Asia this month, has also been criticized by government officials in Kuala Lumpur.

Organizers of the concert came under fire after it was learnt they would hold the show “An intimate Evening with Mariah Carey Charm bracelet Tour World 2004" on the eve of the Muharram, which is the Muslim New Year and is called the Maal Hijrah.

Carey has been warned that she should not perform in sexy attire on stage in Malaysia and that the holding of the concert February 22 was not appropriate.

“I am going to her show, I watch her always on TV and I love her songs,” said Munira, another student at a local institution in Kuala Lumpur.

She said the authorities allowed the “Linkin Park” to hold a concert during the Organization of Islamic conference (OIC) summit and now they are shocked by the date of the Mariah Carey show,

“Just postpone the date, why make a fuss of it?” She charged.

On Friday, the United Malays National Organization (Umno) Youth said it was not happy as the new date of the Carey concert is still too close to the Maal Hijrah celebrations.

Umno Youth Religious Affairs Secretariat Chief Shamsul Najmi Shamsuddin said that since ‘Awal Muharram’ was a significant event in Islam, the proximity of the concert was a cause for concern.

"We appreciate the organizers' initiative to change the earlier date of the concert but the new date is still too close," he said in a statement carried by Bernama Thursday.

After protests from Islamic groups, the organizer of the concert at the Merdeka Stadium, decided to bring forward the date to Feb 20.