AS MALAYSIANS, we are well familiar with the chill, relaxed atmosphere of a simple Mamak restaurant. Puffing on a cigarette while enjoying your roti canai and teh tarik helps too.
But let us have some empathy for the diners beside us because a good many of them will not appreciate being turned into second hand smokers.
Is this too hard to understand? Apparently it is, for some people. Recently, a conscientious uncle was caught in a video reprimanding a man for smoking in a Mamak restaurant.
Merokok dekat kedai makan.
sekali tegur dia nak marah.😅 pic.twitter.com/HjaJmTwlGM
— ًِ (@bckupacc99) September 12, 2025
The result? Instead of snuffing out his cigarette, he took it as an invitation to start a brawl. A number of netizens condemned the action, pointing out the no smoking sign at the restaurant.
However, a quick look through the video did not reveal any no smoking sign. Regardless, it is still a public place so that is no excuse.
Even @zareeqmuqrees gave his respects to the old man who reprimanded him.
@notfaillingyet added that smokers should just indulge in their bad habits at home. On another note, why is it such a big deal to be a second hand smoker?
“For adults who do not smoke, exposure to secondhand smoke has immediate harmful effects on the heart and blood vessels and can cause coronary heart disease and stroke,” said the US Centers Of Disease Control And Prevention website.
Even brief exposure to secondhand smoke can damage the lining of blood vessels and cause blood platelets to become stickier. These changes can cause an increased risk of heart attack.
The American Cancer Society added that exposure to secondhand smoke during pregnancy can lead to problems for both the mother and the child.
“A woman may have a harder time getting pregnant and may develop problems during pregnancy. Also, the fetus may have poor birth outcomes, such as low birth weight, preterm birth, and lung problems,” it added.—Sept 3, 2025
Main image: @bckupacc99 (X)
