T

he Makassar administration in South Sulawesi has officially banned residents from celebrating Valentine’s Day this Wednesday.

The administration has prohibited celebrations from being held, especially in schools and public areas, on the grounds the celebration was not based on the country’s traditions.

“The government has never set Valentine’s Day as an official day and it is not part of our tradition, especially in Makassar,” Makassar Mayor Syamsu Rizal said on Tuesday.

The administration’s decision is a continuation of a ban that has been imposed for the past several years in the city. The ban was also intended to prevent hedonism and immoral acts among local students, Syamsu added.

A groups of local Muslim youths plans to hold a rally on Wednesday to declare their support for the administration’s decision to prohibit the celebration that is associated with love and romance.

“We will ask everyone to educate the younger generations not to celebrate Valentine’s Day,” group member Andi Angga said on Tuesday, adding that the participants would take to the streets in order to prevent the celebrations he said went against the cultural and religious norms of the country.