COMMENT | Years ago, I was minding my own business at a neighbourhood playground and drinking air kotak (box drink) on a hot day after dropping off a friend at his house.

A man saw me, crossed the road, and walked some 50m, just to shout at me, “It is forbidden to drink publicly in the month of Ramadan!”

Startled, I told him he had been mistaken about my identity then. He refused to back down, saying...