It’s been quite a few years since the Malaysian authorities had banned smoking at restaurants but unfortunately, there are still many among us who have not gotten the memo.
What makes this even more saddening is the fact that, when these individuals are told not to smoke at an eatery, they don’t see the wrong in their actions and attempt to start a fight.
Netizen, Kkei Tham, took to her Facebook page to share how an elderly man who was smoking at a restaurant she and her family was eating at, had threatened her family with violence after her father had told him to take his cigarette outside.
She wrote, “I went to have breakfast with my family, we have children and elderly people with us. (Due to the cigarette smoke coming from the elderly man smoking within the restaurant premises), the children started to cough.”
Kkei’s father then decided to ask the elderly man if he could go outside to smoke as the young children and others around were breathing in his secondhand smoke.
Instead of understanding the situation, the elderly man rudely yelled, “Is this your father’s place?”
The elderly man allegedly told them that they shouldn’t take their children out if they can’t handle others being out in public. He also then threatened to throw a chair at Kkei’s father but fortunately, Kkei’s brother managed to prevent it.
“We cannot go out to eat because you want to smoke? Usually, when someone is smoking, we will tell them ‘uncle, is it okay if you don’t smoke here?’. Some uncles are really good and would go outside on their own initiative,” she added.
Apparently, even the restaurant owner told the elderly man not to smoke within their premises but he refused to listen.
“Because the government’s policy is clear against smoking (at restaurants), some elderly people and smokers are not complying to it. I told my father that there is no need to argue with him, we’ve already told him once and that’s enough. If he doesn’t listen, we can only eat quickly and leave the restaurant.”
“But, I hope everyone will have the strength to tell smokers that you can smoke if you want, but when you see children and elderly people, you should smoke further away,” Kkei said.
Considering the fact that the elderly man was smoking illegally inside a restaurant, and yet Kkei’s family, who was in the right, was met with aggression and had to quickly eat and leave is truly saddening.
We genuinely hope that the authorities increase enforcement against smoking in eateries.
What would you have done if you were in their shoes? Do feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section.
