Unmarried Muslim couples arrested in Malaysian Valentine sting

Authorities in Malaysia arrested 26 unmarried Muslim couples in hotel rooms during Operation Valentine – aimed at curbing illegal premarital sex in the conservative country, an officer said today.

The couples, most under 30 years old, were detained for sharing rooms early yesterday in the beachside town of Kuantan in eastern Pahang state, said Badaruddin Ahmad Bustami, enforcement assistant director with the state’s Islamic department.