“If you’re permitted to eat, what’s wrong with eating in your room? Why do you have to do it in public?” questioned Islamic Renaissance Front (IRF) Chairman Dr Ahmad Farouk Musa.

He was referring to Mrym Lee, a local Muslim woman, who in a recent protest against moral and religious policing, deliberately ate and drank in public during Ramadan, while wearing the hijab.

Farouk said though he was also against authorities conducting moral and religious policing on people, the alleged “social experiment” conducted by Mrym was “unnecessary and unethical”.

“We should not condone moral and religious policing, but at the same time, the social experiment was unnecessary and a little too vexatious.”

Mrym had taken to social media, writing about her experiences in carrying out the protest, as well as how she and a friend had been harassed in public.

Related article: Harassed for being seen eating during Ramadan