From Biotechnology To Apam Balik Legacy

By Marfika Adnan Haris Fadzilah

BIDOR, Jan 9 (Bernama) -- The apam balik stall along Jalan Panggung Wayang here may appear ordinary to the public, much like other traditional kuih businesses. Yet behind its simplicity lies a story of sacrifice, responsibility and a son’s love for his family.

Muhammad Shah Rizal Azuardi, a Bidor-born entrepreneur, chose to return to his hometown and continue his family’s apam balik legacy — a life decision made with full awareness despite holding a Bachelor’s Degree in Biotechnology and Agriculture.

For the 28-year-old, the firm decision was made out of a sense of responsibility towards his family after witnessing his parents’ declining health, which no longer allowed them to continue the business they had run for decades.

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Unfazed by the physical demands of working by the roadside, the young man was willing to sacrifice his original dream of becoming a biotechnology specialist or an Administrative and Diplomatic Officer (PTD), even though he previously held a comfortable position as a research assistant at a research institute.

“It never crossed my mind to make this apam balik business a career. As a child, I often followed my parents to help at the stall, but only to assist. Over time, it began to feel like a responsibility.

“My father’s health has become increasingly frail, while my mother often falls ill. Out of a sense of responsibility as a son, it forced me to make a major decision. Besides, my father had often asked me to take over the apam balik stall he has been running for the past 40 years,” said the Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) graduate when met by Bernama.

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Elaborating further, the youngest of five siblings said he began seriously taking over the family business after returning to his hometown in 2020, when the country was under the Movement Control Order (MCO).

He described the decision as the right one, citing the calmer village life free from traffic congestion, office work pressure and the high cost of living typical of city life. However, he did not deny facing various challenges while managing the family enterprise.

“I once had a friend come to buy apam balik. When I reached out to shake his hand, he refused and said my hands were dirty. It hurt, but I consoled myself that I was earning an honest living and not troubling anyone.

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“I also once hired an assistant, but he left when the business really needed help. At that time, I felt like giving up, but the experience strengthened me to persevere. Today, I manage everything on my own,” he said.

Acknowledging that those bitter experiences shaped him, the young man — fondly known as Rizal — said that besides the support and prayers of his parents, he also received encouragement from a former lecturer, which became a major source of strength in continuing the family heritage business.

Although his mother had once expressed guilt that her highly educated son had to continue his father’s roadside legacy, Rizal stressed that he never regarded the decision as a wasted sacrifice or one without a future.

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“Choosing to be an entrepreneur is often misunderstood as a ‘downgrade’, when in fact entrepreneurship has its own advantages. It also allows one to build success on their own terms and promises potentially higher income than my previous career,” he said.

Producing various types of apam balik — including original, crispy apam balik and Sarawak kuih with assorted toppings — Rizal mixes about 16 to 20 kilogrammes of wheat flour daily.

Today, Rizal dreams of expanding the family heritage business, particularly by opening branches in nearby towns, while also improving his apam balik menu to suit changing times.

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“In the past, there was only apam balik with peanuts and corn. Now, I sell various flavours such as pandan, cheese, milk, chocolate and red velvet, priced according to size between RM4 and RM7 per piece, while the crispy version costs RM1.

“Although this effort is still small, I am proud to continue what my father started. I hope that one day, people will recognise Apam Balik Lagend Bidor not only for its taste, but also for the story behind it,” he said.

-- BERNAMA