Mohamad Zahriel serving coffee to a customer at his home-based cafe in Kampung Pasir, Johor Baru.
MOHAMAD Zahriel Abdul Rahim used to sell kebabs at roadside stalls and bazaars before he stumbled on an opportunity to open a small cafe at his village in Kampung Pasir, Johor Baru, in July last year.
He had always been interested in going into business from a young age, as his mother has a sundry shop while his brother is in the food-and-beverage industry.
“I learned how to make coffee-based beverages at my friend’s cafe, which is adjacent to his house in my village.
“I became interested in opening my own shop since the coffee culture in Johor Baru is on the rise.
“I also noticed that many people enjoy having specialised coffee in a casual setting while hanging out with friends.
“When my friend wanted to sell his cafe last year, I decided to take a leap of faith and took it over.
“Due to the small-scale model, it is a good learning curve for me before setting up in my own premises in the future,” he said.
Mohamad Zahriel, who is assisted by four employees, said his customers have told him that they enjoyed the laid-back and homely atmosphere at his cafe.
“At first I was only serving my own friends, who also gave me valuable feedback to help me improve on my products.
“After word spread, more people started visiting my cafe.
“During this year’s fasting month, the cafe was full almost every night,” he said.
His cafe opens from 5pm to midnight on weekdays. On weekends, the cafe closes at 1am.
Mohamad Zahriel is just one of the many young people in Johor who have opened cafes in the comfort of their own home.
Another such cafe owner is former television show director Ali Iskandar Ali Hanafia.
He had to put his passion for tv production on hold when he was diagnosed with kidney failure in 2020.
“After I was discharged from hospital, I went back to work. But due to the hectic schedule, I almost passed out several times.
“I had to switch to writing scripts and proposals.
“That was when I realised that I had to make changes to my life,” he said.
Ali Iskandar had to leave his job as a television show director as it was affecting his health.
Ali Iskandar and his wife Alya Fatin Abdul Rahman then decided to move back to his late mother’s house in Kampung Sungai Ayam, Batu Pahat.
“My late mother used to run a sundry shop in front of the house, so I renovated it and turned it into a little cafe in June this year for me and my wife to earn a living.
“Having our workplace right next to the house also makes it more convenient for me to perform home dialysis or continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), which takes about 30 minutes per session.
“My wife is the main person running the cafe, as I have to undergo CAPD four times a day and ferry our five-year-old son to and from school,” he said, adding that they also have a 10-month-old baby girl.
With both he and his wife having a media background, the couple promoted their cafe online with a menu featuring a mix of traditional dishes such as nasi lemak and western items like Big Breakfast and spaghetti.
“We both used to work and travel together and that was where we learned our cooking skills.
Alya Fatin is the main person running the home-based cafe in Kampung Sungai Ayam, Batu Pahat, while Ali Iskandar, who is undergoing home dialysis, ferries their child to and from school.
“I hope we can one day expand our business to the Klang Valley, but ultimately I hope to get better and return to my first passion, which is media production,” he added.
Ali Iskandar is feeling proud that a television show he directed, which aired last year, has been nominated for this year’s Seri Angkasa Award.
He said it was a daily struggle to remain strong mentally and physically while waiting for a kidney transplant.
“I remind myself that I have to be patient and face the challenges that life has brought for the good of my family.
“I believe that things will get better one day,” he added.
