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A Malaysian social media user’s advice telling non-Muslims to avoid the roads during buka puasa time drew swift backlash online — but the loudest pushback came from an unexpected corner: fellow Muslims.
Threads user @jamil_tuan posted what he described as simple, logical advice — that non-Muslims should hold off on their evening commute during Ramadan to give Muslims space to get home for iftar.
The post spread quickly, drawing hundreds of responses.
Among the most-liked replies came from @nadiazainal, who identified herself as a Muslim.
No, they have their right to go home at whatever time they want. It’s not like we’ll die if we break fast a little late. We Muslims need to plan our own time, our own journey. Even if we have to break fast in the car, we won’t die.
Another user, @ismail_rseven, echoed the sentiment.
Non-Muslims also have school-going children to pick up. Husbands and wives who share a car. This is about living in unity.
He added that Ramadan is a month of tests — and that the test should be faced with strength, not fragility.
Malaysians of All Backgrounds Agree: No One Owns the Evening Commute
He later defended his original post, saying many had misread his intentions.
@jamil_tuan explained that he had given similar advice to Malay Muslims during the Chinese New Year, suggesting others hold back to ease congestion.
As such, he urged critics to “think logically” rather than react emotionally.
It was only after the criticism mounted that a non-Muslim voice entered the conversation to offer some context.
User @i.e.gwpm said many in her community were already making that effort voluntarily.
During Ramadan, non-Muslims already try to avoid going home early. If we can, we choose to go back at 7 to 7.30 pm during your buka puasa time.
But she was equally clear about the limits of that goodwill — many non-Muslims simply cannot wait, because their children are in daycare and school, and you can’t ask schools to keep their children until 6 or 7 pm.
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