EPISODE 4
Malaysia Boleh, Mamak Boleh Ke?: Spilling Truths
In the final episode, Ilham ends this season of Jom Mamak! by discussing the issues, controversies of kedai mamak as well as its future and limitations.
Due to the length of discussion, this episode is split into two parts.
After all the praise about kedai mamak being one of the best places to makan and lepak, there are also issues and controversies surrounding the eatery. Ilham wondered if kedai mamak is really a welcoming and safe place for everyone.
One of the issues that our host takes very seriously is – hygiene and cleanliness. Certainly this is not something new to us Malaysians because it is often expected that kedai mamaks aren’t usually the best at handling food hygiene. One may assume the unhygienic food handling is the fault of migrant workers, because of one’s preconceived judgement that they are from a lower-class status.
On top of that, the exploitation of migrant workers also happens in places like kedai mamaks as well. Ilham came across a study conducted by UiTM students to look into the struggles faced by these migrant workers.
(Taery 2021)
(Hakim 2021)
It is important to question if such exploitation is also causing the issue of cleanliness as a result of employers' mistreatment by forcing the migrant workers to stay in a small and cramped housing. A small living quarter that houses 10-12 people allows easy transmission of bacteria, which may be the reason why migrant workers are unable to properly take care of their hygiene.
Another controversy indirectly relating to kedai mamak is the fake halal meat scandal. While it is common knowledge that kedai mamaks serve halal food, can we really confirm that the meat served is indeed halal? In addition, there has been an emergence of mamak eateries where pork is served in the menu as well. This brings the question - is kedai mamak still a safe space for all Muslims?
What about the future of mamak? Since the fake halal meat scandal poses a problem for Muslim customers to think twice before consuming, the presence of beef may also be a reason deterring Hindu customers from eating at kedai mamak.
Interested to know more? Listen to our podcast as Ilham interviews Dr. Khoo, who has co-written a book about mamak culture, and explores everything left that we need to know about kedai mamak.
additional Sources you may be interested in
Duruz, J. and Khoo, G. C. (2014) ‘“Mamak, Anyone?”: Tamil Muslim Eateries in Malaysia’. in Eating Together: Food, Space, and Identity in Malaysia and Singapore. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield, 67-93. Available from
<https://b-ok.asia/book/2575476/6460d8>
Hakim, A. (2021) UiTM Study Reveals Just How Badly Exploited Mamak Workers Are In Malaysia [online]. Available from <https://www.therakyatpost.com/2021/01/05/uitm-study-reveals-just-how-badly-exploited-mamak-workers-are-in-malaysia/>
Masyita, M., Amalina, M. J. N., Saudi, A. S. M., Samsudin, M. S. and Rizman, Z. I. (2017) ‘Effect of Poster and Video Intervention on the Knowledge, Attitude and Practice (KAP) Level of Personal Hygiene among Food Handlers in 24 Hours Mamak Restaurants in Sungai Petani, Kedah’. Journal of Fundamental and Applied Sciences 9 (4S), 851-860. Available from
<https://www.ajol.info/index.php/jfas/article/view/165449/154908>
Taery, D. (2021) Malaysian study reveals how badly mamak workers are taken advantage of [online]. Available from <https://sea.mashable.com/culture/13917/malaysian-study-finds-that-mamak-workers-are-badly-exploited>