Nasi Kandar shakedown: Penang restaurant claims they are being harassed for protection money

GEORGE TOWN: The owner of a famous nasi kandar restaurant here alleges that he and his staff are being harassed for protection money.

Hameediyah Restaurant owner Syed Ibrahim NMA Abdul Sukkoor, 54, claimed that a group led by a man who identified himself as a "Datuk", had asked him to pay money in return for protection.

He said the "Datuk" came with his family and several other men to dine at the restaurant's branch on Jalan Ismail Hashim in Sungai Ara on Oct 6 at about 2pm and asked for RM2,000 per month.

"The 'Datuk' told me to think about it and promised he would come again," he said on Friday (Oct 16).

Syed Ibrahim said the "Datuk" returned with several men on Oct 10 but he was in Kuala Lumpur at the time.

He said his son was threatened by the "Datuk" who told him restaurant staff risked being injured and the restaurant vandalised and damaged if he did not agree to pay the protection money that day.

"The 'Datuk' even threatened to put poison in our food and to make it public so that people would not visit the outlet.

"He also threatened me by saying I would not be able to conduct any business in the area if I did not agree to pay up," he said.

Syed Ibrahim said he lodged a police report on the incident at the Bayan Lepas police station on Wednesday (Oct 14).

The 160-year-old restaurant has two outlets in Penang, with the original restaurant located on Campbell Street, George Town, which still draws large numbers of customers every day.

The branch in Sungai Ara was officially opened in September by Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow.

The iconic family-run business has two more outlets in Kuala Lumpur.

Balik Pulau OCPD Supt A. Anbalagan confirmed that a report had been lodged on the matter and that police are investigating.