No kissing - I am fasting!

More than half of Dubai residents are NoN Muslims. But no one eat or drink in public. Even smoking is prohibited. One Western couple was arrested for kissing in public - not a peck on the cheek type of kissing I was made to understand.
In offices, no beverages or food are served.
Non Muslims can still do what they want to do, but in private.
The same was true when I was in Jeddah.

In Malaysia, the situation is different. Muslims in Malaysia are more tolerant towards the differences a diverse society brings. Only Muslims are not allowed to display their disobedience of the Ramadan callings publicly. In my view, is necessary to avoid confusion amongst our young children. However, from my own experience - my NoN Muslim friends and neighbours had always chosen to respect their fasting Muslim counterparts. Even if they were eating when I intruded, they would apologize and stopped the act while in my company.

I still prefer the Malaysian way - that we let the freedom of choice to the NoN Muslims to exercise their own judgement.

Often asked about Fasting by Non-Muslims, my answer has been simple.
"Fasting is separating our body from our soul for a month. During the month of Ramadan we give priority to our soul - nourishing it with prayers and remembrance of God's blessings.
During this month, we deny our body of its usual pleasures of foods, drinks, and intimacy. It is a way of resting our systems - overhauling them.
We also get to appreciate how it feels not to be able to eat and drink when we want to during the day".

There are of course more reasons to the ones I give above. There are verses from the Hadith and Qur'an. I am yet to learn all of them sufficiently to be able to quote them with confidence. However, my simple explanation seems to work.