FOR MORE than 40 years, the name Syed Akir Syed Ahmad has been a familiar one among customers at the Kampung Melayu Flat Food Court in Air Itam, here.
“I used to work as a finance officer at a bank branch in Kampung Baru, but I left in 1980 to continue my father’s business.
“My father sold drinks to support the family, and so did I. I raised my children with the income from selling these drinks,” he tells Sinar Harian.
He says he and his late wife, Suria Samad, raised four children – Sharifah Sueinan, 46, Sharifah Sheezan, 44, Syed Ariezam, 42, and Sharifah Shazrin, 36 – with income from the business.
Syed Akir says some customers were even willing to make the journey from Bayan Lepas and Bayan Baru.
“Even though we have been in business for a long time, customers still come. Some have known me since the early days, and now their children come to buy from me too.
“That is what keeps me going. When customers continue to support us, we feel appreciated,” he says.
Syed Akir takes pride in how the stall has become something of a living witness to the bonds formed among residents from different races, generations and walks of life.
Half a century after his father first started the stall, the tables where customers sit to enjoy their drinks have become more than just a place to eat and drink – they have also become a meeting point for generations of customers.
“We can sit at the same table, exchange stories and joke around. Although they come here to enjoy a drink, those relationships are forged simply because of my stall.
“That is the spirit of goodwill that has been built over the years. My stall has always been a gathering point, not only for adults but for children too,” he says.
The family business has now entered its second generation, with his second child running a burger stall next door, while his eldest child sells Western food.
“I will stick to selling drinks. I want to continue this business for as long as I am able because I regard it as a responsibility and a family legacy,” Syed Akir says.
