MOST eateries hanker for the right endorsement, be it from popular foodie influencers or social media sites. A simple clip of the fare being prepared and served to hungry tummies can have a massive impact on its business.
Or perhaps they strive to be recognised by the famed Michelin Guide as a “must visit” restaurant by earning a coveted star or two.
Now, imagine having the Yang di-Pertuan Agong (YDPA) popping in for a bite and having it featured on his official social media.
That is a recipe for sure-fire viral success and this is precisely what happened at Hua Mui Restaurant in Johor Bahru (JB) yesterday (Jan 23).
His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim, King of Malaysia and his entourage were marking the anniversary of His Majesty’s ascent to the Johor throne in 2010.
Instead of a closed-door ceremony where only VVIPs are in attendance, Malaysia’s 17th Agong decided to celebrate the occasion with a turun padang (literally, “go down to the ground”) trip whereby he could mingle with his loyal subjects.
As can be seen from the numerous photos that filled his Facebook post, Sultan Ibrahim was inundated with requests for selfies.
A renown foodie within the royal household, he is best remembered for having recently belanja (treat) a visiting PMX Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim to an asam ikan pedas lunch at JB’s Kedai Makanan Jadi Baru (Botak) – a meal which triggered viral sensation nationwide.
Although already popular among Johoreans, photos of the VVIP luncheon have eventually quadrupled the Chinese restaurant’s fame with many outstation visitors making a beeline for it when in town.
Reading in between the lines
Its business, while previously good, has become booming thanks to Sultan Ibrahim’s ringing endorsement.
On hindsight, the dining experience hailed as reflective of Malaysia being a melting pot of cultural diversity attracted plenty of controversy when the opposition-slant faction harped on the issue of halal certification.
This even landed a young Muslim convert TikToker in hot soup when when he mistakenly alleged that the said restaurant was not listed on JAKIM’s (Department of Islamic Development Malaysia) website as possessing the right credentials.
No small number also grumbled about Sultan Ibrahim supporting a Chinese-owned enterprise instead of a Bumiputera-owned restaurant.
Much in the same way, Restoran Hua Mui can now expect even bigger crowds to line up at its doors to sample its famed chicken chop that Sultan Ibrahim can be seen tucking into.
It is indeed wonderful to see royalty taking the time and effort to mingle with the masses. It is also a very heartening to see Sultan Ibrahim making a concerted effort to boost MSMEs (micro small medium enterprises) in his home state.
More importantly, it continues His Majesty’s penchant for highlighting great eateries regardless of ethnicity of ownership. This is an important message at a time of highly-charged race-based politics.
Now, imagine instead of Michelin stars at the front of a makan shop, there is a royal stamp of approval. This would be akin to British-style of anointing royalty-approved businesses with the all-important ‘By Royal Appointment’ prefix.
Now, there’s food for thought (pun fully intended). In the meantime, long live the King and his healthy appetite! – Jan 24, 2025
Images credit: Sultan Ibrahim Sultan Iskandar/Facebook; U Make Me Hungry blog
