Mamak Restaurant or Ah Long Restaurant?

Utusan Malaysia reported that many of the popular Indian Muslim (or mamak) restaurants have changed hands to non-Muslims while several others are at the mercy of loan sharks.

Quoting Malaysian Muslim Restaurant Owners Association (Presma) president Jamarulkhan Kader, the paper said the mamak restaurant now exists in name only as many of them have been mortgaged to non-Muslims.

He said mamak restaurants “grew like mushrooms” in recent years and in the frenzy to modify their premises ala-bistro, with video screens, better furnishings and air-conditioning, they took hefty loans from Ah Longs and then had difficulty paying back.

Saddled with huge debts, the restaurants in the end had to be surrendered to the loan sharks.

“The real tauke (boss) behind these restaurants now are non-Muslims,” said Jamarulkhan.

If you are in business, it doesn't matter who you are, or what you are; Chinese, Malay, Indian, Mamak, Mat Salleh. Business is about making money from customers. In order to make money, you need capital to start off. If you don't have money, or insufficient, you will borrow, either from bank, friends, or Ah Long, Chettiah, or Tabung Haji.

After borrowing, if you fail to pay, the lender will take action either to wind your business up by liquidation or you can seek debt restructuring by way of "white knight", take-overs or mergers.

If you borrow from bank, the bank will definitely wind you up as they are not interested in your business. If you borrow from Chettiah or Ah Long, they will seek possession of the collaterals pledged.

Is it true that Mamak borrowed from Ah Long? I did a survey of various Mamak restaurant in KL and I find that most borrowed from Chettiahs. Most couldn't borrow from bank because they are not Malaysian Citizens.

So, if they defaulted in their loan payment, the lenders will call on the collaterals. So, if the business changed-hand, whoever that took over, thatever the race of that person, is it the fault of Ah Long, Chettiah, or Tabung Haji?