I WANT MY FATHER TO BE PROUD OF ME — KAMAL
An Islamic Studies graduate opens a restaurant because he wants to be his own boss
EVERYONE says business is a risk. Kamal bin Hj Adam and wife, Syukriyah binti Ishak, are fully aware that any moneymaking initiatives must have risks.
Only after calculating the risks would anyone part with hardearned capital and venture into business. For this couple, they have done the calculations, made their own market research, set aside the money for the venture and got their parents’ blessing.
With abundant self-confidence and kind wishes from family members and friends, Kamal started Halia Corner four years ago, a restaurant set against the backdrop of the Titiwangsa mountain range.
It is located in a small residential enclave called Sekiah Makmur, almost 10km from Tanjung Malim. It is about an hour’s drive from Kuala Lumpur. If one visits the restaurant, there are no major differences with other outlets offering breakfast, lunch and dinner and everything in between.
But here is a restaurant with good food and owners who are level-headed and visionary in their own way. Kamal and Syukriah are not ordinary food entrepreneurs, let me tell you.
Kamal worked soon after graduating from Universiti Malaya with a degree in Islamic Studies in 2004. One of seven siblings, Kamal made his rubber-tapper father beam with pride and satisfaction.
Syukriyah came out with a degree in Applied Chemistry from Universiti Teknologi Mara and then a Masters degree in Civil Engineering from Universiti Teknologi Petronas.
Quite a combination don’t you think? The wife is now pursuing her PhD in Chemistry from 2016 at the nearby Universiti Pendidikan Sultan Idris. In between her studies, Syukriyah helps out at Halia Corner taking orders, manning the cashier and wiping tables.
In the service industry, especially in the food and beverages sector, every single customer is important. They expect nothing less than good food, good service and cheaply priced. They want a good menu but want to pay stall prices!
Kamal said: “My wife and I are committed to our small business. For now, this is our life. It’s not been an easy passage. But I continue to learn new things and to adapt to new situations.
“There are all kinds of customers. Some are choosy, some are noisy, some come in and have a quiet meal and leave quickly. I’m happy I have a variety of customers because they help me understand the market better.
“When I first opened here, I was seen as a stranger. Someone who is not a local. But actually, I’m not far from this place. My hometown is Sungkai, about half an hour’s drive from my shop.”
I saw a picture of him receiving his scroll on convocation day hung in the shop. I was quite curious and asked why would he hang that picture in the shop.
He explained that this was done for a purpose. Customers started to pay serious attention to him soon after the photograph was put on display. This was to be expected because customers take for granted that all restaurant operators are lowly-qualified people.
Kamal’s father was very concerned when his fifth child went into the food business instead of getting a good job with his university qualification. Mind you, the father was a rubber tapper. Imagine his surprise when the son opened a restaurant instead of being a white-collar employee.
But Kamal did work for a while soon after graduation. But the draw of being his own boss and the excitement of taking up fresh challenges was too much.
Halia Corner closes on Sunday, after opening every day in the early days. Sekiah Makmur has one row of shophouses and the rest of the area is filled with single-storey terrace houses.
Kamal’s shop seems to have a captive clientele. His roti canai in particular has a big following during breakfast and in the evening tea. Lately, a satay stall opened on the five-foot-way and this has been quite a draw.
Halia Corner wasn’t Kamal’s first and only encounter in the food business. For several years he operated a cafe at the Proton sports complex in Proton City. This was a good experience for the young man in managing his resources and in dealing with official bureaucracy.
He also opened up two other outlets; one at a small factory called Miyazu and another one at one of UPSI’s colleges. He stopped both to focus on Halia Corner and also because his wife had resumed her studies for a doctorate. Miyazu is a vendor owned by Proton, operating not far from the Proton factory itself.
Miyazu’s café is a small one because the factory has only about 150 workers. But it provided a very useful learning curve for an entrepreneur like Kamal. He ceased operation to enable his wife to pursue her studies.
After settling down at Halia Corner, Kamal has now expanded his business once again. His big network of friends and contacts has enabled him to take catering orders. But he’s quite selective because he has to ensure quality of his service and food.
What is your vision for the future, I asked him.
“I believe entrepreneurship can give a person plenty of opportunities. I also want to prove to many people that one doesn’t have to be an employee to earn a living.
“Jobs may not be easy to get nowadays, especially jobs that fit a person’s qualification. I worked for a while but I wanted to be my own boss. Entrepreneurship gives me that chance.
“In my own small way, I help contribute to the national economy. I provide jobs, even though at the moment the number is small. I provide opportunities for others too; for instance the satay seller and the roti canai man.
“Entrepreneurship has no boundaries. My wife is pursuing her studies. I want her to pursue it to whatever level possible. I want to be all that I can be as an entrepreneur.
“Yes, I am operating from a small and unknown place like Sekiah Makmur. I have a pair of children – Muhammad Zafran, 9, and Nurhana Insyirah, 4. I am confident I can do better in the coming years.
“Prayers from our parents are also a big blessing. To anybody who comes to Halia Corner, try my sup tulang!”
In my own small way, I help contribute to the national economy. I provide jobs, even though at the moment the number is small. I provide opportunities for others too; for instance the satay seller and the roti canai man.