IT IS a battle of wills when it shouldn’t be. It is against the law to light up in no smoking zones which clearly include spaces where food and drink are served.
That means the once unofficial fumoirs of warong, kopitiam and mamak stalls are officially off-limits to smokers but that message does not seem to have got through to some thick-headed nicotine addicts.
Such is the case of an altercation that occurred over non-smoker’s rights. Apparently, a misunderstanding over smoking escalated into a physical brawl at a nasi kandar restaurant in Bandar Rimbayu, Telok Panglima Garang in Selangor recently.
The incident which occurred at about 2.07am on April 15 reportedly began when one individual was reprimanded for smoking within the premises.
District police chief Superintendent Mohd Akmalrizal Radzi confirmed police received a report on the altercation from a local man.
“Investigations revealed that a misunderstanding broke out between two parties after one of them was told off for smoking in the area,” he revealed in a statement. “The situation then escalated into a fight with both parties hitting each other.”
There was a sense of disbelief among certain commenters on the NST’s Facebook portal where this news was shared.
Just what exactly was the “misunderstanding” The smoker was puffing away in a NO SMOKING ZONE. “Just how thick are you?” wondered various bemused commenters.
One sarcastic foreigner thought it was the inherent right of all Malaysian men to smoke anywhere they wanted, including under a “no smoking sign”. He also highlighted that there seems to be two sets of rules – one for foreign tourists and one for local smokers.
This came about at he was shouted at while smoking OUTSIDE a restaurant while some locals “were smoking INSIDE the restaurant one table over”.
The same incident was also highlighted on Malay-language portal Sinar Harian Facebook page. Interestingly, quite a few ex-puffers themselves admitted to being put off being next to smokers after quitting themselves.
Echoing this sentiment was another ex-smoker who claimed he would always give a diner a quick look to see if there were any smokers inside, adding that smokers should at least go puff by the drain if they needed their nicotine fix.
The problem was further exacerbated when kids are in tow. Aside from being exposed to second hand smoke, they will then bring in the foul odour of stale smoke into the car.
A few others also chimed in with other public spaces where smokers were unwelcome, including washrooms and mosques.
The overall sentiment is a negative one. Smokers are unwelcome in most public spaces, more so at diners where smoking is supposedly strictly prohibited.
Smokers must realise that their antisocial habit is no longer tolerated by most citizens and strict enforcement is required to get the message across, lest the authorities want more public brawls breaking out.
On a similarly note, sad to say but true, sometimes non-smokers have to take a step back than to confront puffers for the safety of themselves and that of their family members.
Such is the account shared by software development consultant Selvakumar Arunasalam in a FB post:
“Yesterday, while eating with the kids and madam, there were two men smoking at the next table.
You already know that the law prohibits smoking cigarettes in restaurants and there are kids at the next table, hence, aren’t you a fool if you still persist to smoke?
I was about to reprimand the duo but madam said, “It’s alright, nowadays we don’t know who has what in their hands! Let’s not find a problem …”
It just so happens as madam put it, there were already a brawl from telling off a smoker not to puff. That’s right guys, since you’re with your family, there are times when it’s better just to ignore … what to do.” – April 20, 2026
Editor’s Note: When someone smokes in a restaurant in Malaysia, one can report them immediately to the Health Ministry (MOH) via WhatsApp at 010-860 8949 (preferably with photo/video evidence).
Smoking is banned within three meters of any food establishment with offenders liable for fines up to RM5,000.
Moreover, one can also notify the restaurant owner/staff who are responsible for enforcing this rule to ensure their premises are smoke-free.
Main image credit: Remaja
