KUALA LUMPUR: A heated argument broke out between a man and a woman in an MRT women's coach over his presence there.
In a clip that has gone viral on social media, the man can be heard saying that he was travelling with his young daughters when he was confronted by a female passenger.
In an aggravated response, he told the woman to "shut up" and dared her to call the police on him and "catch him."
"Ask the police to catch me. Call them. I dare you," he shouted.
"This is ridiculous, you know. My kids are so small and you ask me to leave my kids alone?"
As the video continues, it appears that the man was with his daughters and wife.
The woman continues telling him off, saying that he and his family could always just move to another coach and leave the one intended for women only passengers.
Later, an MRT staff member approached the man to calm him down. By then, the man and his family had exited the coach and were standing at its edge.
The video, originally posted on Chai Huat To's TikTok page, has been reposted on other social media platforms.
On Instagram, some netizens chided the man for his behaviour, noting that the women's coach serves an intended purpose.
"If all the men start saying they have their wife who cannot take care of themselves, their girlfriend who is not independent, their child who is too young, then it defeats the purpose of a women's coach.
"The women's coach does not just give priority seats or sections to female passengers but also serves as a safe zone from being harassed or molested when it's crowded with everyone squished next to each other. Being a father doesn't exempt you from that rule. So please just bring your child with you to the other zones," user phulioo commented.
User pilar_arismendi said: "Uncle, the women's coach was invented for the same purpose as pink parking. Since you are there to accompany your kids, your wife is there too, you may as well go to another coach and leave the women's coach for female passengers. Please be mindful."
"Ah what a man child," said user jolenetionggg.
User tommydefriendly said: "I'm so sorry but for me, the man is wrong. Since the wife is there, he could just leave his daughters with the wife and he can stand or sit in another zone. There is a reason why a women's coach was invented. If he can't understand the logic behind it or basic human decency, then he shouldn't take public transport and just drive."
Several others, meanwhile, have defended him.
"Just leave him be. He is with his daughter. Unless he is alone and suspicious, then let him be," little.misslo said.
"Who's right here, the man or the woman?" asked one commenter, eliciting a thread of replies.
"I'm a firm defender of the women's coach but this is a father, with a daughter. It's not like he's sitting in the coach, he's barely in the coach at all actually so what's the issue? He literally has a daughter," ahleckzs commented.
"This women's coach is rubbish. If you want a women's only coach, then don't allow them on the other coaches," pilar_arismendi said.