Preserving a Malaysian social culture
by Felicia
Recently, news emerged on various social media regarding the limitations to how long a 24-Hour mamak restaurant or mamak stall can operate. Although this news turned out to be untrue, it was a rude reminder about something I believe we have taken for granted in the past. Hanging out at the mamak may no longer be the first choice to hangout for millennials, but it holds a special place in the hearts of the adults of Malaysia. Being an avid patron of these restaurants in and around Klang Valley, I’ve gathered some things that we would lose if there were to be a limit to the operation hours of these restaurants.
1. No more late night cravings
Since the mamak will close early, there won’t be a cheap place for us to have late night supper. Imagine craving a hot Cheese Naan soaked in Dhal curry at 2am and knowing you’d have to wait till sunrise to go get that craving satisfied. Our local mamak which we hold so dear, won’t be able to cater to these late night cravings.
2. We won’t have a place to yumcha
Where will we meet our friends after a long day to catch up? Think about it, where else can we have a nice hot teh tarik while finding out the latest gossip, or sipping on some Milo ais while exchanging stories. What about consoling your friend who had just went through hardship? Where can you do that at 3 in the morning? Certainly not at the nearest 24-hour petrol station.
3. Cheap food at odd hours
One of the biggest reason we love hanging out at the mamak is the prices of the food. For less than 10 ringgit, you can have a full meal consisting of rice, vegetables and some kind of protein for about RM 10.00 (drinks included). But what if the mamak closes early? Our only other option is fast-food chains. Not only are these fast food restaurants expensive, they’re way more unhealthy than food at a mamak.
4. Where will night-shift workers eat?
Since we’re on the topic of cheap food at odd hours, we can’t help but feel sorry for night-shift workers who would probably want a hot drink or a meal during their break working the graveyard shift. You can’t expect them to eat fast-food everyday, nor can you expect them to fork out that much money for a meal everyday. So where do these folks have their break time if not the nearest mamak restaurant.
5. What else do we have that is so uniquely Malaysian?
When we’re asked to describe something special about Malaysian culture, some of us often name “late night mamak sessions” as one the most uniquely Malaysian culture. Where else in the world can you get Nasi Goreng at 4am? Nowhere but your local mamak.
