- 7/1/2025
Mydin was never just about profit—it was built to serve. Datuk Wira Haji Ameer Ali Mydin opens up about keeping prices low, staying grounded in community, and leading with heart.
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00:00Halal, integrity, I think those are the core things.
00:03Punctuality, discipline.
00:05When you want to make a decision, you listen.
00:07You don't have to agree with what they say,
00:09but you listen whenever you do something good.
00:12The important thing is don't show off.
00:14Right.
00:15God gives you back if you give with sincerity.
00:18Not when you put a placard and say,
00:20I just gave a million dollars.
00:22I think that's where you lose it.
00:24When you start thinking that,
00:25I want to be known for this, forget it.
00:28Just do what you want to do now.
00:31And it doesn't matter if people don't remember it.
00:33In your tenure in Maiden,
00:34what has kept you from saying,
00:37Oh, I give up.
00:37Was there ever a point where you thought,
00:39maybe this is not what you want to do anymore?
00:41And if you're a companion like my wife,
00:44you cry it out with her.
00:54In this episode of Life Confessions,
00:56I'm very excited to meet
00:58someone who is very much a part of our Malaysian lives.
01:03Because I think most of us, if not all of us,
01:05probably have something in our homes that were purchased
01:08from one of the retail stores, large retail stores,
01:11that he is the managing director of.
01:14I'm talking about Datuk Weera Dr. Haji Amir Ali Maiden,
01:18managing director of Maiden.
01:20Thank you for joining us here today.
01:21Thank you. Thank you for having me.
01:23Now, Datuk, there's so much to learn about you,
01:25even though you've actually been pretty much a part of our lives for a long time already,
01:30through the stores that you actually run and operate.
01:34Let's start with, you know,
01:35the fact that you actually had a very successful career in banking.
01:39What made you leave that world to carry on your father's legacy at Maiden?
01:44You know, of course, when you work somewhere,
01:49and okay, I mean, you work, you earn your keep.
01:55Yeah.
01:55It was a good job.
01:56I mean, happy, you get a car, you get a house,
02:01get a driver, kind of thing, you know,
02:03when I was a branch manager in Kuching.
02:06Yeah.
02:06But I think it comes a time in life that you say,
02:08okay, is this what I want to do?
02:09And if that is the career that you want to go.
02:12Right.
02:13Of course, then you go up that so-called the corporate ladder.
02:16Mm.
02:17Right.
02:17But I come from a family of business.
02:20Right.
02:20My late father, who started my grandfather,
02:24my great-grandfather, all this business.
02:27So somehow that thing runs in your blood, kind of thing.
02:30So this conversation is with my late father.
02:32I mean, he said, if you're happy, you're happy, fine, you know.
02:38And there were some instances in the bank, maybe,
02:41which make me change my mind.
02:43Okay.
02:44Maybe the corporate world is not what it deems to be sometimes.
02:48You might not want to do things that sometimes you have to do.
02:51Right.
02:51It could be against your principle.
02:53I won't go into the details.
02:55Okay.
02:55All right.
02:56But then they said, come on, let me do something that I'm comfortable with.
03:02It's a risk.
03:04High risk.
03:05Especially you are in a good.
03:09I mean, those days, I mean, I don't know.
03:10You're working in the bank.
03:12Oh, you're working in the bank.
03:13Oh, wow, wow, wow.
03:15Nowadays, I don't think people look at bankers that,
03:18could they qualify by the bankers anyway, after the COVID.
03:21So they look at it differently.
03:22Right.
03:23But I think it's important that if you make the switch,
03:27I think it's good for people, your listeners to know,
03:29whether they are a high risk taker for your business people,
03:33or the entrepreneurs there.
03:35If you want to switch, everyone has to do a calculated risk.
03:40Right.
03:41I mean, we see staff resigning sometimes.
03:44We employ 7,000 assistants and say,
03:47that's fine, so you got a job.
03:48No, I'm really upset with you, I want to resign.
03:50Right.
03:51It's fine.
03:52Go ahead.
03:53If you don't match your requirement, please, it's okay.
03:57Right.
03:58But have you got a job?
03:59Right.
04:01How are you going to feed your family?
04:02So when you want to take a decision,
04:06calculate the risk.
04:07Right.
04:08Same thing when I left the bank.
04:12My, the good thing was my wife was working.
04:15No, that's a lecturer.
04:17You know, not that highly paid.
04:20She was earning a reasonable income.
04:24We had two kids.
04:26We were renting a house.
04:28Paying instalments for car, as usual.
04:32Paying instalments for the TV, I think,
04:35at that time.
04:36But, I could make do with her income,
04:40in terms of, to cook makan.
04:42You know, my kids will not be on the streets.
04:45Right.
04:45That's okay.
04:46Now, maybe now I can take a risk.
04:47And if the business works, fine.
04:50If it doesn't, I won't go hungry.
04:53For that matter, my children won't go hungry.
04:54I think that, that part is important.
04:56Right.
04:57So that is why I said, okay, fine, let's do it.
04:58But it was a, seriously, if you think about it, it was a small shop,
05:02only 800 square feet.
05:05You know, a small shop with two employees.
05:08So, it's a real risk.
05:10But it was something that we wanted to do, and with all the support from the family.
05:16Right.
05:17Again.
05:18Support from the family.
05:19Right.
05:20And my father's suppliers and all that.
05:24We made it so far.
05:25Right.
05:26Slowly but surely.
05:27And remember, my dad is 68 years old.
05:31Yeah.
05:32It is not 10 years old.
05:35So, this thing about, you see out there, a lot of people get rich very fast.
05:41But my dad is not one of those.
05:42Right.
05:42Right.
05:43My family, my brothers.
05:45Right.
05:45Our wife.
05:47Yeah.
05:47And now, of course, my brother's children who are in the business.
05:50I worked very hard to bring it to where it is today.
05:53Right.
05:53When you look back now, because here you are today,
05:57all these years later, one of the biggest retailers in Malaysia,
06:01and you think about how it began for you, how does it feel for you at this point?
06:07You know, the satisfaction is when you walk into the store on a Saturday or Sunday,
06:14you see the crowd, you see people buying, you see happy faces.
06:18It's just like, as a parent, as a parent, you see your kids grow.
06:25Yeah.
06:26And they become someone successful.
06:29And if you're proud, don't take credit away from them because it's also, of course, because of them.
06:35But it's, oh, I must have made some right decisions that I've been able to help this person become somebody.
06:42Right.
06:43So I think in business, it's the same thing.
06:45I think when you see the seed that you planted, and you watered it, and you worked hard,
06:53and you were almost going to die once or twice, you know, you were thinking that,
06:56my God, it's sunny, or have I over watered it? That means over borrowed.
07:02You know, or, you know, am I going the right direction?
07:05You know, should I planted this seed? Why didn't I choose an easier?
07:10Before I do that, I got to waste so many years, you know, but bamboo, it takes so long,
07:15you know, down there, but it's building its core.
07:18Right.
07:18So I always say that when you read it, people say, look at the bamboo.
07:22Right.
07:22You see, I mean, people say, my God, my deal, what, so big ah?
07:26My God, it wasn't big. It took so long to get the roots.
07:31Yeah.
07:32You know, and suddenly it shoots up.
07:34Right.
07:35You see, so I think this is the thing about it.
07:38So if you have taken time to build it up, then it shoots up quite fast, actually.
07:42Not because in business, normally is that your first store, your first,
07:47it's like your first child.
07:48Yeah.
07:50Because you have no experience, right?
07:51It's so difficult.
07:53Yeah.
07:53You know, the, the second one, he said, but you know,
07:57both children are not the same people as parents.
08:00So there's some adjustment to be made as you open your second store.
08:04But after the second one, he says, ah, I think I can handle seven kids.
08:10My wife will love to have more kids now, but we only had two kids, you know,
08:14but, but that's what it is.
08:15But I think he said, ah, I'm sure I can handle seven.
08:18Because after your second store, it is just systems.
08:23The important is processes.
08:24Right.
08:25So you have got the first where you toil hard.
08:27You don't know what you're trying to do.
08:28Yeah.
08:29The second says that the first one is right or wrong.
08:31Yeah.
08:31And how are you going to adjust?
08:32Right.
08:33To run through, you must have processes.
08:35Because you, you can be, you cannot be at two places at the same time.
08:38Right.
08:38And then there's duplication after that.
08:40Then it's just for the step, right?
08:42Yeah.
08:42Duplicate, right?
08:43And if you duplicate it right, and you don't do it too fast.
08:48Right.
08:48Don't run your machine so fast that, which we tend to do.
08:51I'm sorry to say that.
08:53I mean, all of us in business tend to once in a while say, I think I can move faster.
08:57Then you get some crumpled paper and, you know, some paper that come out.
09:00You see, I am so blurry.
09:02Yeah.
09:03So which, which is what happens in business.
09:05Then you, you, you try and then you start losing stone, you start opening, you say, I
09:09made a mistake here.
09:10Yeah.
09:10But that's part of lessons of life.
09:11You know?
09:12Speaking of lessons, are there lessons that you learned from your father that you still
09:17employ even now today?
09:19Lessons that you can, that you still pass down that you've learned from your own father?
09:24I think, I think my late father or, I mean, my mother is still alive, but parents lessons
09:30that you pass to their children, whatever they, they, they do, but I think the lessons will
09:36always be the same, you know?
09:39Halal.
09:41Integrity.
09:43I think those are the core things.
09:44Punctuality.
09:46Punctuality.
09:47Discipline.
09:48So these are basic, I think my, my, my father was a disciplined person.
09:55Right.
09:56Uh, I think that, that, that's what helps you.
09:59And I think in life, uh, you, you have to be disciplined, uh, to be successful.
10:06Yeah.
10:06I mean, I, I don't think anyone who is succeeded, uh, will say that, I don't need, you, you can
10:13turn up late, you can do this, you can do that, you know?
10:18Even the most famous actors, most of them, if you go back and see, you're going to do funny
10:24fellows, you know, who, who think they're too big for the shoes anyway, but the, the good
10:28ones who, who manage and remain up there, they are very disciplined.
10:33Wow.
10:34You see?
10:34And in business, it has to be there.
10:36You have to be punctual, respect people for their time.
10:39Right.
10:39I mean, punctuality is, I think, for you being time, but I think more of giving you
10:43respect, they're coming here for this podcast.
10:46I have to be on time.
10:48No, I think I have to be earlier, you see, to, to, to, to save other people that, hey,
10:55the man is here.
10:56So let's start.
10:57Dato, I'm going to have to take this bit and I'm going to have to put it into an Instagram
11:01post and make sure everyone listens to you because it's such an important, an important
11:06message that so many people don't actually follow.
11:09This basic thing that you just said that you employ as a part of your life, discipline,
11:13timeliness is one of the best ways we can treat ourselves and the people around us with respect.
11:19And even it's a way to show love to people around you for family.
11:23But if they don't value other people's time, obviously you are wasting everybody's time.
11:29That is what is making the country less productive.
11:32So it always starts from the top, start from the top.
11:35You are punctual, then you're people below.
11:38It's going to be like that.
11:39You are the minister.
11:40You're not punctual.
11:40Then your KSU, your deputy says, the minister is not going to be there, so the deputy is going to be late.
11:45The deputy goes to the KSU and they both are going to be late.
11:49So this becomes a big issue.
11:50Yeah.
11:51But actually, seriously, we just had to function just before Raya.
11:56And then our PM, PMX, came to Maidan.
12:00Yes.
12:01He was supposed to come at 12.30.
12:02I understand?
12:03Guess what time he came.
12:04What time?
12:05I'm on record.
12:06Okay.
12:06Guess what time.
12:07Can I give you a guess?
12:08I'm guessing 12.30.
12:12He came at 12.00.
12:13Wow.
12:14Right.
12:15Earlier.
12:15Earlier.
12:16That's leading by example there.
12:18All right.
12:18That is your example, right?
12:19Yeah.
12:20I'm not saying that he has always been early.
12:22Yeah.
12:22I've attended many functions.
12:23Yeah.
12:23Okay.
12:24But this one function, for whatever reason, he was there.
12:28Yeah.
12:29And that caught almost everybody of God, including the minister, the KSU, and all the other parts.
12:36Yeah.
12:36Yeah.
12:37He almost caught me of God.
12:39But then, we are always early anyway.
12:41Mm.
12:41I mean, PMX is coming.
12:42You better make sure everything's ready to that.
12:45But he caught people of God.
12:46Mm.
12:46But I think that's the main thing.
12:49Yeah.
12:49Yeah.
12:50And what is the advantage of being a bit more earlier?
12:52Mm.
12:53You don't have to rush.
12:54Yeah.
12:55Yeah.
12:55You have time.
12:56Yeah.
12:56He was able to meet more people.
12:59We had more time to raise issues with him.
13:02So, I think that was a surprise, but I think this is a good example of not being on time,
13:07but being early.
13:08Yeah.
13:08Life lessons that you are giving us here today, in just the first few minutes of speaking
13:13to you here today, Datuk.
13:14Now, you know, a part of being timely is also making decisions quickly and doing them well,
13:21right?
13:21What's the toughest business decision you've ever had to make?
13:25And how did you know it was the right one, even though it was the toughest one or one
13:29of the toughest ones?
13:30You know, I would rephrase that.
13:32I think, let me expand it further.
13:34I think the more important thing here is that when you want to make a decision, when you want
13:41make a decision, you, of course, talk to people.
13:47It could be your staff, your friends, or whatever it is.
13:55You listen.
13:56Right.
13:57So, it's very important when you want to make a decision, you listen.
14:02You don't have to agree with what they say.
14:04Yeah.
14:05But you listen.
14:07You think through.
14:09Then you ask your heart, should I or should I not?
14:15Then you make that decision.
14:17You ask your heart.
14:18Right.
14:18Right.
14:19Okay.
14:19Not your brain, you know.
14:20Right.
14:21Because the brain tells you cash flow, ROIs, numbers.
14:27Right.
14:28And then the brain tells you, my finance people are telling me this, my marketing people are
14:34telling me this, this, this, this, this.
14:36You've got so many things.
14:38But that after listening and, you know, rationalizing, whatever, you ask your heart, actually.
14:43Wow.
14:44If your heart, you ask your heart, then they will tell you yes or no.
14:49You know, everybody can say everything.
14:51Everybody, you're going to live with this person.
14:52Right.
14:53Right.
14:53You have to ask your heart.
14:54Right.
14:54So, it's the same thing with business decision.
14:56You can say, Allah, this is different.
14:57This is different.
14:58It's not.
15:00Because it is scientifically proven.
15:04Okay.
15:04What people say is woman intuition.
15:06Like people say, it's intuition.
15:09It's really not.
15:10It is all your experiences, bundle up, it's telling you the right decision.
15:18But then, I think my point is that after you have made a decision, right or wrong, leave it.
15:26You have made your decision, no regrets.
15:29You have regrets.
15:30Okay.
15:31But don't dwell upon it.
15:32You know what?
15:33I should have done this way.
15:34You know what?
15:35I could have done that way.
15:36You know, I should have listened to Ali or Ahmad or Mutu or, you know, whoever I said.
15:41You know, they were right.
15:42No lie, you know.
15:43You make good decisions.
15:44You make bad decisions in life.
15:46You have decided and move on.
15:48I think that's very important.
15:50When did you learn to listen to your heart?
15:52Was it something that you innately from young, you just knew to do this?
15:57Or did you learn to be able to have this sense of intuition?
16:01I don't know, seriously.
16:03Because I think a lot of things that you do in life, you also don't know why and why not.
16:08But I think that over time, over time, maybe when you read, maybe you picked up somewhere.
16:16I mean, you know something when you go to school, right?
16:18They say, well, you wasted all these years, you know, because you asked me the same thing.
16:24What did you study?
16:26I'm a chemist.
16:27I'm a chemist.
16:29You see?
16:30Oh, you wasted your life.
16:31You wasted your university.
16:33You are a chemist, but when was the last time anybody asked you about the formula, right?
16:38But you know what?
16:39Nothing is wasted in life.
16:41Whatever you learn, somewhere, somewhere, it comes back to you, you know?
16:46So that's why people say you work, your experiences, you study, you go to university, your friends.
16:51Whatever you're doing, one day, something comes back to you.
16:55And many times when you go and listen to people talking or you listen to, you say,
16:59ayah, boring lah, you know?
17:01You know, but something, somewhere, it will connect, come back and say,
17:05hey, didn't that guy say something like this, you know?
17:07So I think this learning, always learning, always reading, always watching TED Talks or whatever it is, you see.
17:15So it just grew.
17:16It grew and grew.
17:17You grow.
17:18You grow.
17:19You don't have to agree with every guy in the TED Talk.
17:22You don't have to agree with him anyway, but it grows.
17:25So at least you have people's opinion.
17:27Right.
17:28So it is good to attend, it's good to listen, you know?
17:32You don't have to scroll all the time lah, you know?
17:34Right.
17:34Listen a bit lah.
17:36When it comes to making those decisions that you've mentioned,
17:39a big part of that would also be strategy, decisions on strategy, right?
17:43In a world where big international retailers dominate in many cases,
17:47what do you think is Maidin's biggest edge?
17:50And how do you maintain that edge?
17:53You know, I think I'll break up the question in two.
17:57Okay.
17:58I think the first part is that all these cash flows, all this strategy, all that,
18:03and seriously, to me, is my gut, you know?
18:07I mean, it's my yes or no.
18:09Comes back to that.
18:10People can come with all sorts of paper, projections, and numbers, you know?
18:15You know?
18:16And then you say, I know lah.
18:17Yeah.
18:18And I think we can do this lah.
18:20Yeah.
18:20That kind of thing, you see?
18:21But that's what makes an entrepreneur.
18:24That is what entrepreneurship is all about.
18:26Right.
18:27That's why start-ups are start-ups.
18:29Right.
18:29Because they are risk-takers.
18:32You know?
18:32Going with their gut.
18:3490% don't succeed.
18:35That's another story.
18:37But that is the thing about it, you see?
18:39Right.
18:39So, I think that is a very important part of business in retail.
18:47And I have market involved and the business involved.
18:53So, if you look at the hyper-market business,
18:55and with all humility and with a due respect to everybody out there,
19:01in Malaysia, if you go back to the hyper-market scenario,
19:06the bigger players were actually the foreigners.
19:08Right.
19:09I mean, we had the so-called Tesco's, the giants, and the macros,
19:14and the car food, and all that.
19:16But that was 10 years ago, you know?
19:18And I think the local players
19:22are more competitive, give you more sleepless nights,
19:28you know, than seriously the international players.
19:31Right.
19:32For whatever reason, you know?
19:34Because I think the local players, once you get into the game,
19:38they were slow.
19:39They were slow.
19:40And actually, we were actually maybe the first local hyper-market who opened up in the so-called
19:46hyper-market, and forgetting the car food, the giants, and the Tesco.
19:51We were, I think, the first one.
19:52And after us came the other A.
19:54I don't want to name my competitors for obvious reasons.
19:56Okay.
19:56But the A, B, and C, you know?
19:58You know?
19:59And I'm telling seriously, I think the A, B, Cs is what, if I want to have sleepless nights,
20:04which I don't, I would be worried about them, compared to the MNCs.
20:11Because I think that the locals have, as a local,
20:17home ground, man.
20:18Yeah.
20:19You know what the people want.
20:20You know your crowd.
20:22Yeah.
20:22The people are your people.
20:25You are the people.
20:26You are the people.
20:27Your home.
20:28Your home, right?
20:29Your own turf, right?
20:30So, when you're on your own turf, you know how the grass is.
20:34You see?
20:34You know where it's slippery.
20:35Where it's not slippery.
20:37Maybe it rains a bit.
20:37You know where the puddle, right?
20:39So, you know what it is.
20:41So, I think when you're homegrown, you know,
20:42Alah, pudu boleh jual.
20:45Orang kan makan pudu, cincalo, mana kepul leko.
20:51So, how I'm going to explain to Samad Saleh, what is kepul leko?
20:54Yeah.
20:55You see?
20:55Yeah.
20:55And then, if some MNCs sitting up there, some corporate guy,
20:58you say, what in the world is the ugly thing, kepul leko there?
21:02Heee, looks so thin, you see?
21:05But do themselves too, right?
21:09So, you've got homegrown advantage in many ways.
21:11Yeah, yeah.
21:11Homegrown advantage, yeah.
21:13So, I think that makes a difference.
21:14Right, right.
21:15That makes a difference.
21:15Speaking of the community that Maiden exists in here,
21:20you know, with so many families that we hear about
21:23that are, these days, struggling to make ends meet, right?
21:26How does Maiden make decisions about, like, pricing,
21:28while keeping, you know, that promise of affordability
21:31and quality at the same time?
21:33How do you make these decisions when it comes to economic viability,
21:39not just for the company, but for people to be able to still partake in the store, yeah?
21:45You know, I think if the consumers and the raya were smart enough,
21:54they won't have to look at the prices.
21:56They will have to look at the profitability of the business.
21:59If XYZ reports a hundred million dollar profit,
22:05where does the profit come from?
22:07It must come from you.
22:08Yeah, the consumer, yeah.
22:09The consumer.
22:10We don't report that kind of profits.
22:15We don't.
22:16Why?
22:17Because it goes back to the customers.
22:20It's a simple thing.
22:22And I've got bankers telling me,
22:24hey, your competitor is doing X million.
22:30Why are you not making Y?
22:32Why?
22:35Do I have to make Y?
22:36Just to please you, right?
22:40End of the day,
22:42I still eat the seborotichana and the tetari, right?
22:45It doesn't matter.
22:47Doesn't matter.
22:48How much more money do you want anyway?
22:52There's no end to this.
22:54There's no end to this.
22:54I see this.
22:55There's no end to this.
22:56You can start going.
22:59First, it's a $39 shirt.
23:01It's a $59.
23:02The $199 is also $599, right?
23:04Just like the baju, Melayu, Raya.
23:07And you can know,
23:08not mentioning names,
23:09so many brands out there.
23:10Right.
23:11But don't forget the fabric is the same.
23:14The guy who sewed the baju, Melayu is also the same.
23:16Yeah.
23:17Just that somebody puts a brand
23:18and got the influencer to work around at the stage.
23:21Right.
23:21And you paid $199 or $249.
23:24Right.
23:25What we were selling at $69.
23:27Right.
23:28And I'm serious.
23:29Yeah.
23:29It's exactly the same mother and father.
23:32Right.
23:33Wow.
23:34You come across, Datuk,
23:35as incredibly practical and community-driven.
23:40How do you see the role of businesses like yours evolving
23:44in supporting local Malaysians?
23:46Do you see other businesses making the same effort that you seem to be making?
23:50I'm sure many do.
23:55I can't think of one,
23:57but I'm sure many,
23:59I mean,
24:00many people do things in their own ways.
24:03Right.
24:03Okay.
24:06And I mean,
24:06you can reverse what I just said.
24:10But no,
24:11you should be making the billion dollars.
24:13Yeah.
24:13You can help people with your billion dollars.
24:15Yeah.
24:16Yeah.
24:17It's also right.
24:18Yeah.
24:18Yeah.
24:20It's not wrong.
24:20Yeah.
24:21Right.
24:21But not everyone does that though.
24:23Not everyone does that.
24:23That's another story.
24:24Right.
24:25Okay.
24:25But I mean,
24:25there are ways of doing it.
24:26Right.
24:27I mean,
24:27you can just reverse it and say,
24:29oh,
24:29you make 20 million.
24:30You see,
24:31you know,
24:31that guy made a hundred million,
24:3280 million,
24:33he gave away to charity.
24:35Wouldn't that have been better?
24:36Well,
24:36it depends how you want to look at it.
24:38Okay.
24:39You know,
24:39but to me,
24:40I look at it,
24:40no matter what,
24:41let me make the 20 million.
24:42Let me sell my minimum chocolate,
24:44or my brass,
24:45or my gula,
24:46whatever it is,
24:47at the lower price.
24:47Right.
24:48And I know,
24:49I don't want to wait there.
24:51Right.
24:52I know the smiles on the faces.
24:53That's what's,
24:55that's what's important.
24:55I think that is more important.
24:56For you.
24:57Yeah.
24:57Yeah.
24:58I think,
24:59I think you would die,
25:00to see a smile on the child.
25:04You would die for the child,
25:05for the smile.
25:06I think it's the same thing from,
25:07from I think,
25:08how I look at it.
25:09Right.
25:09That smile.
25:10And you've seen many of these smiles.
25:12And many of those.
25:12Right.
25:13Whenever you give,
25:14whenever you do something good.
25:16Right.
25:16The important thing is,
25:19the other way.
25:20Right.
25:20Don't show off.
25:21Right.
25:21Right.
25:22Don't show off,
25:24that you are giving.
25:25Right.
25:26You know.
25:26Because then,
25:27there's no sincerity.
25:29Yeah.
25:29When there's no sincerity,
25:31there's no barakah,
25:32as a mostly,
25:33I'm sure as a Christian,
25:34or whatever you,
25:35I'm sure it's the same thing.
25:37Yeah.
25:37I mean religion,
25:38or whatever,
25:39teaches you the same thing.
25:40Right.
25:41God gives you back,
25:41if you give it,
25:43sincerity.
25:43Yeah.
25:44Not when you put a,
25:45a play card,
25:46and says,
25:47I just gave a million dollars,
25:49or a hundred thousand dollars,
25:50to ex-charity.
25:51People have got different ways,
25:53of thinking,
25:53looking at things.
25:54But I think,
25:54at the end of the day,
25:55do it in charity,
25:56do good to the world.
25:58Yeah.
25:58I think that's important.
25:59Right.
26:00The youth would say,
26:01you are dropping a lot of,
26:03truths here today,
26:04so many truths,
26:05from being on time,
26:07to not showing off charity,
26:09when you're contributing back.
26:10You know,
26:11we also want to know,
26:12what's your take,
26:13on the Malaysian economy,
26:15right now?
26:16When you yourself,
26:17have dealt with,
26:18dealing with,
26:19you know,
26:19various setbacks,
26:20during your tenure,
26:22well,
26:23in your tenure,
26:23in Maidin,
26:24what has,
26:25kept you from,
26:27saying,
26:28oh,
26:28I give up.
26:28You know,
26:29were there moments like that?
26:31Was there ever a point,
26:31where you thought,
26:32maybe this is not,
26:33what you want to do anymore?
26:35You know,
26:36I think the,
26:36the way to do this is,
26:38go to one corner,
26:40and cry.
26:43Seriously.
26:44Right.
26:45Then you get up,
26:45and say to hell,
26:47let's move on,
26:47and I'm sure I can do it.
26:50I think that's the only way to do this.
26:52You cannot,
26:53you cannot say that,
26:55you cannot blame the world,
26:57you know,
26:57and you cannot change the world.
26:59You can't change,
27:00then you change yourself.
27:01Change yourself to the good.
27:02I don't mean change yourself,
27:04to the bad.
27:04Okay.
27:05But seriously,
27:07this kind of challenges,
27:09happens,
27:11everywhere,
27:11to everybody.
27:12I'm not joking.
27:14Go to one corner,
27:15and cry.
27:16Let it out.
27:17Let it out.
27:18And if you have a,
27:20a companion,
27:22like my wife,
27:24you cry it out with her.
27:27You say you have a broad shoulder,
27:28they tend to refer to a man,
27:30as a broad shoulder.
27:31Yeah.
27:31But seriously,
27:32women are also broad shoulders.
27:34Yeah.
27:35Right?
27:35Yeah.
27:37It's good,
27:37if you have that kind of companion.
27:39Right.
27:39I'm lucky to have a wife like that.
27:41You know,
27:42that you can actually talk to her,
27:44and let it out,
27:45and cry it out.
27:47And you have a broad shoulder.
27:48And to say,
27:49someone that's there,
27:50it will be okay.
27:51Yeah.
27:53You know,
27:53doctor,
27:53you've mentioned your wife,
27:55a few times,
27:55during this conversation.
27:57It sounds like,
27:58she is a pivotal part,
28:00in making you,
28:02the person that you are,
28:04as well.
28:04How would,
28:05how would you describe your relationship?
28:06I have always mentioned many times,
28:09that,
28:11the most important decision,
28:13that you make in your life,
28:16you can't decide,
28:16who your parents are going to be.
28:17That's where you are.
28:19Unfortunately,
28:19unfortunately,
28:20that's fine.
28:21I'm not saying regret,
28:22I'm not saying that,
28:23obviously,
28:23you don't,
28:24and you can't.
28:25Right?
28:26But you can decide,
28:27who's going to be your wife.
28:29And you are lucky,
28:31if you have chosen the right person.
28:32And I think,
28:33that decision,
28:36is the most important decision.
28:37And whether you succeed,
28:39in life or not.
28:39Yeah.
28:41It's going to be that woman.
28:43Wow.
28:43I mean,
28:44it's not you alone,
28:45you know.
28:45Right.
28:46It's going to be that woman,
28:47you know.
28:47Because,
28:48if that woman is going to call you,
28:49at five in the evening,
28:51and say,
28:51Tak balik lagi ke bang?
28:54I nak pergi shopping ni.
28:55Then you are dead.
28:57You know?
28:58Okay?
28:59Right?
29:00So,
29:01but if you have got the,
29:03that person,
29:03I mean,
29:04it's silly of my wife.
29:05I mean,
29:05when I opened that shop,
29:07when I was in the bank,
29:08it was,
29:09okay,
29:10like office time,
29:11you can go back,
29:12you know,
29:12go for your night dinner.
29:13But when I opened this shop,
29:15it was 7 to 11.
29:17Right.
29:18Because you open the shop,
29:19and you close the shop.
29:21That's how you run shops.
29:22I mean,
29:22now you run in a different manner,
29:24because you've got so many shops,
29:25you don't open.
29:25But you know,
29:26so I was never around.
29:28Yeah.
29:28And to be serious,
29:30without that support,
29:32and you say,
29:33oh,
29:33I did everything.
29:34Seriously,
29:35you didn't do anything.
29:36Because that woman is the one
29:37who was cooking,
29:38taking care of the kids,
29:39managing the house,
29:40working,
29:42and you come back
29:42and you say,
29:43I'm tired.
29:43How can you say that?
29:45Wow.
29:46How can you say that?
29:47That person is more tired,
29:49but the person is not telling,
29:50that's all.
29:51Wow.
29:51Sounds like both of you are lucky
29:53to have each other.
29:54I don't know whether she'll agree,
29:56but I can't speak for her,
29:59but we've been married for 46 years,
30:01so I think she'll be okay.
30:02Maybe she's the next person
30:03we set up an interview with.
30:04Maybe you should.
30:05But maybe you should.
30:06But I think that is very important,
30:07because I think that support is very,
30:12very important.
30:13And you know,
30:14people always say this,
30:15behind every successful man,
30:18there's a woman.
30:19You try telling that to my wife,
30:20she'll kill you.
30:22She says,
30:23behind,
30:24I've always been next to you.
30:25Oh, wow.
30:27I think that is,
30:28see the guy who made that up
30:29also is messed up.
30:31You're putting a woman behind.
30:33I know,
30:34we all know what he was trying to say,
30:35the support.
30:36Yeah.
30:37But come on,
30:38why behind?
30:40She was next to you.
30:41She's not in the shadow either, right?
30:43She's just next to you.
30:44Wow.
30:45That holding hand is very important.
30:47Wow.
30:47That's another thing.
30:48Please hold your wife's hand all the time.
30:49That's right.
30:50You heard that.
30:51More truth being dropped here today.
30:53If you were to bring it to business,
30:54it's the same thing.
30:57That emotions with your customers.
31:01Price is, of course,
31:02you have to be competitive,
31:05the right environment,
31:06the shop must look decent.
31:08You want to go to a toilet,
31:10don't make it smell.
31:12Clean.
31:12It's not the Harrods toilet
31:15where you pay 10 miserable pounds or whatever,
31:17but clean.
31:20So you can go.
31:21So I think it is important,
31:23the environment that you create,
31:25for your customers.
31:27Okay.
31:28And I think customers don't ask only,
31:32are you giving me the best price?
31:34Right.
31:35I think you have to go to the next level.
31:38What are you doing for society?
31:40I can buy the same rice from the green shop,
31:45or the blue shop, or the yellow shop.
31:48They all are selling the same rice.
31:50They all can be selling at 30 ringgit.
31:53Why should I come to your shop?
31:57Oh, because this guy, he makes money,
32:01but that money is being spent on the community.
32:05So let's support him.
32:07If we support this guy,
32:09the money will go to some guy in UK,
32:11or some guy don't know where,
32:12and you support that guy,
32:14and he's going to go to Genting after this.
32:16Let me support somebody
32:18who is doing good for the country,
32:19or doing good for the community,
32:23whichever way.
32:24I think, so it's the same thing.
32:26Life, business, whatever it is.
32:29I think these are the core values.
32:31And it sure seems that your customers
32:35appreciate what you do,
32:37because you have an empire now.
32:40You have an amazing number of stars
32:42that are contributing to the lives of the community,
32:45and also giving back to the community.
32:47What legacy do you hope to leave behind?
32:51Not just for Maidin,
32:52but for the future generations of,
32:54you know, Malaysian entrepreneurs
32:55who may look at Maidin and think,
32:57that's what I want to be.
33:00That's what I want my business to be like.
33:04Give without reasons.
33:07I think.
33:08You know what?
33:09This legacy story,
33:11and to be known for what?
33:12You know what?
33:13People forget very fast.
33:16The minute you are down there after one week,
33:18the client is finished.
33:19Right?
33:20Alright?
33:20So, let's accept that fact.
33:24You know?
33:25Forget what people will remember you for.
33:28I think it's better to do what you can do now,
33:34and forget about,
33:35I want to do this,
33:36and I want to put my name there.
33:37You know?
33:38Because people remember,
33:39you know that mosque,
33:40you know,
33:40I built it,
33:41you know?
33:42So, I want the mosque to be under my name,
33:44you know?
33:45I think the whole intention of building the mosque is gone already,
33:48because you wanted your name on it,
33:49right?
33:49So, I think that's where you lose it.
33:54When you start thinking that,
33:56I want to be known for this,
33:58I want to be known for that.
33:59Forget it.
34:01It's what you do now that matters.
34:02Just do what you want to do now.
34:05And it doesn't matter if people don't remember it,
34:07you know?
34:08As long as you know.
34:09You know, there's a story that it says,
34:11you know, that a person who goes to see his wife every day,
34:16in a hospital,
34:18and somebody stops him and says,
34:19I've been seeing you to see your wife for 10 years.
34:22You know she's got Alzheimer's and she's got dementia,
34:25and she doesn't even know that you're coming, right?
34:28Yeah.
34:29So, why do you still go every day?
34:31I know what?
34:34Because you know, because he...
34:35I know what?
34:36She doesn't know.
34:37It doesn't.
34:38It's just that I see my mother,
34:39my mother is so old and got dementia or whatever.
34:42I'm telling you,
34:43she doesn't remember I go and see her morning or evening,
34:45but it has nothing to do with her.
34:48I know what?
34:49I'm going to see my mother.
34:53Because you have to live with yourself.
34:54Yes.
34:55Yes.
34:55It's you.
34:56Yeah.
34:57You do that.
34:58You do that, you know?
35:00Make yourself proud of yourself.
35:01Of course it's your mother.
35:02Oh, there's my wife, you know?
35:05So, the guy was like,
35:06if you go once a year or so,
35:07she wouldn't even know that you never came.
35:09I thought you came yesterday or that.
35:11But it doesn't matter.
35:13Thank you for giving us so much to think about, Dato.
35:15I wanted to mention,
35:18the government will launch or has launched,
35:20depending on when your podcast comes out,
35:22the so-called Kat Madani.
35:26Yes.
35:27Kat Madani.
35:28It was out in the news.
35:30I think I picked up.
35:31Kat Madani Pekeja.
35:34That means every civil servant probably,
35:37who are part of whatever,
35:39will be able to register for Kat Madani.
35:41It's almost a form of welfare, right?
35:43That is the Maisara and all that.
35:45This is different.
35:46This is having,
35:48just that you have a Maidin,
35:49Mariaka,
35:50or you have a competitor.
35:51So, every Pekeja can register for a Kat Madani.
35:55Okay.
35:55Nothing to do with the welfare part.
35:57Kat Madani.
35:59So, we were approached by the government.
36:01Okay.
36:01To say that, you know,
36:02we're going to do this.
36:05Would you like to join?
36:06And what can you give to people who have this Kat Madani?
36:11So, if you are a government servant,
36:12you have got a Kat Madani,
36:14and you walk into Maidin tomorrow,
36:16you register.
36:18You know what we agreed to do?
36:20We agreed.
36:22No time limit.
36:26Every stationary item you buy,
36:29at Maidin prices,
36:31our price,
36:31and I think at Maidin prices,
36:32it's competitive, right?
36:34It will give you a further 10% discount.
36:37Right.
36:37Every household item,
36:42whether you want to buy the chair,
36:43or the toilet brush,
36:45or whatever,
36:47the spoon and the forks,
36:48it will give you 10% off.
36:50We cannot do that for food.
36:53Obviously, you say,
36:54how about the brass, gula, and the tepung?
36:57Hey, come on,
36:57brass, gula, and tepung,
36:58I made two cents and five cents.
36:59You know,
37:00if I give 10%,
37:01then, you know,
37:02it will not be around.
37:03Okay.
37:03Every back-to-school item,
37:07school uniform,
37:08school badge,
37:09whatever it is,
37:10you get 10%.
37:12And it's not for today or tomorrow.
37:14It is...
37:16It's ongoing.
37:17Ongoing.
37:17We will do it for one year.
37:20And if you call me back next year,
37:21you say,
37:21hey, how was it?
37:22And you're still here.
37:23If I'm still around,
37:24you'll call me.
37:25Say, this guy gone.
37:26Too smart trying to give 10% off.
37:28But it's something that we're doing.
37:30And we volunteered to do it.
37:33You are not forced to do it.
37:36A lot of people,
37:37I'm sure,
37:37also will participate with gimmicks.
37:40Just like the hotel says,
37:41I give you 30% off.
37:43If you are ex-hotel member,
37:45then you walk in,
37:46you find out that you get a better discount
37:47by just walking in.
37:49That is the game most people play.
37:52You go to the restaurant,
37:53they give you 20% off,
37:54and all that.
37:54You get 20% off anyway, right?
37:57I think ours is sincerely done.
38:00On our prices,
38:0110% off.
38:04Of course,
38:05if it's on promotion,
38:05you cannot get 10% off.
38:07It has to be there.
38:08Of the retail price.
38:10Of the retail price.
38:10Of the retail price.
38:11Of the retail price, yeah.
38:11Of the retail price we're selling,
38:13which is a very competitive price.
38:15Yeah.
38:16And you get that.
38:16A further 10% discount.
38:18So this comes back to your core values of,
38:20again, what I think?
38:21I think it's giving back.
38:23Giving back.
38:24Yeah.
38:24And the government,
38:28civil servants,
38:29whatever it is.
38:31I think they're also looking at the B40s,
38:34whatever.
38:35I think you are up there and you say,
38:37I've got better places to go than my dinner.
38:39But anyway.
38:40But I think our customer bases are B40s.
38:43Well, I will definitely go to my dinner.
38:45There are so-called M40s who are also now B40s.
38:48Yeah.
38:49That kind of thing.
38:49We've heard about how tough it can be for so many people
38:52over the last few years.
38:53Ever since, actually,
38:55since the lockdowns until this point,
38:58there have been people who have been struggling
38:59to get back on their feet even since then.
39:01Covid was the worst because people burned money at the time.
39:03Yeah.
39:04Covid was bad because you were just burning.
39:07You couldn't do business.
39:08You couldn't do anything.
39:09And expenses were going everywhere.
39:11So I think people lost a lot of money.
39:13Absolutely.
39:14That's why it's appreciated that when you say
39:17you're giving this 10% at this time,
39:20people might think that,
39:21but it's so long after, like...
39:24Some people have the false perception
39:26that everyone's doing so much better now.
39:29But that's not the case.
39:31So many people are still trying to get back up on their feet.
39:33Many, many.
39:34Yeah.
39:34You'll be surprised how many.
39:35See this.
39:36Yeah.
39:36See this.
39:37Yeah.
39:37Okay, you're rapid fire.
39:38Oh, okay.
39:39We're ready for the rapid fire questions now.
39:41We're good.
39:41We're good.
39:41Okay.
39:42So that means the first answer that comes to your head,
39:46you just share it with us.
39:47That comes into your mind.
39:48All right.
39:48What's one thing people would be surprised to know about you?
39:53I actually go to gym.
39:55Would that be a surprise?
39:56You seem quite fit, but okay.
39:58We'll accept your answer, Datuk.
39:59Next question.
40:00I have a trainer.
40:01And you have a trainer.
40:02Okay.
40:02Next question.
40:03If you weren't running Maidin,
40:05what would you be doing right now?
40:07I'd probably be a chemist somewhere.
40:08Chemist.
40:09I don't think so because I have a degree in chemistry,
40:13but I think I'd probably be running in a hospital because,
40:15you know, being an entrepreneur and having good sciences,
40:21probably be able to go up that ladder.
40:23All right.
40:24Picturing you in that lab coat right now.
40:26What's the best business advice you've ever received?
40:28Makan with halal.
40:31Right.
40:31What's your go-to comfort meal after a long day?
40:35It won't shock you.
40:38Rotitan lah.
40:40That's a specific restaurant.
40:42Oh, it's got to be a specific restaurant.
40:44Got it.
40:44Okay.
40:44What's the biggest misconception people have about running a business like Maidin?
40:49What do they get wrong about it?
40:51You know, I think they think it's too easy.
40:53Hmm.
40:54Hmm.
40:55You know, easy.
40:57It's so complex.
40:59It's so low margin.
41:00Right.
41:01That small mistakes can be amplified.
41:04Right.
41:05And you can go down the drain very fast.
41:07We'll need to know this.
41:08That's definitely something.
41:09It's a 24-7 work actually.
41:11Right.
41:12Yeah.
41:12Right.
41:13You won't believe I'm in 400 WhatsApp groups.
41:15Internal, not external.
41:17Internal.
41:17400 WhatsApp groups.
41:19Internal.
41:21Wow.
41:23I cannot imagine what your chat list looks like.
41:26So that is 24-7.
41:28No time to scroll because you're working.
41:30Wow.
41:31All right.
41:32Final rapid-fire question.
41:34What's one thing you think all business leaders should stop doing immediately?
41:40Regrets.
41:42Wow.
41:42Too many people living with regrets for the decisions that they made.
41:46Wow.
41:47Thank you for sharing that with us.
41:48And now we've come to the final question.
41:51Oh, there's one more.
41:52The final one.
41:52Last, last.
41:53The most last.
41:55We ask this of all of our guests.
41:57If you had the opportunity to make one change as Prime Minister of Malaysia for one day,
42:05or Prime Minister for one day.
42:06That guy got to be angry with me.
42:09What would that change be and why?
42:12You know, there are a lot of things the Prime Minister can do.
42:18I think he needs to have the political will.
42:21Okay.
42:22One of the first things would be I'll remove subsidies.
42:25All subsidies.
42:26All subsidies.
42:27All subsidies.
42:28But of course, not forgetting there are people who need, who are low income, and you give the so-called
42:35MySara, the so-called BRIM now.
42:38Every Prime Minister keeps changing the name, right?
42:41Anyway, now it's MySara.
42:43But you need that so-called safety net.
42:46But if you remove subsidies, you need political will to do that.
42:53And seriously, another thing I will do, which the PM is not going to do, I will put in GST.
42:58GST.
43:00Because that has solved a lot of things.
43:02Oh, interesting.
43:04Not only giving money to the government, but it reduces corruption.
43:09Because end of the day, corruptions are at entrance level.
43:13Right.
43:14When you say corruption at the KLIA, not only you get more money, you get better data,
43:22and a lot of things will be cleaned up.
43:24Wow.
43:25And we will end up paying more taxes.
43:28Because we have to be more transparent.
43:29Right.
43:30Because that, what is happening is that then you put more people on a level playing field.
43:34Right.
43:36The good people don't want to cheat.
43:38But sometimes business, you have to cheat because otherwise you will not be competitive.
43:43So this is where you want to make it a level playing field.
43:47Right.
43:48This could be your campaign speech.
43:51Thank you so much.
43:52Never be a politician.
43:53Because you don't know who are your friends and who are your enemies.
43:58Thank you so much for being so candid with us today and for sharing your thoughts.
44:01We appreciate you so much.
44:03Datuk Weera, Dr. Haji Amir Ali Maidin, who is of course the Managing Director of Maidin.
44:09And we look forward to now going to try the Roti Canai and Teh Tarik that you mentioned.
44:15You have to tell me where this place is.
44:16We are definitely going to have to go.
44:18As we say thank you to you for joining us today as well.
44:21And see you in the next episode of Life Confessions here on Shock.
44:25You are on Shock.
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