But given the importance of what they do, this newly-earned respect is well deserved, as life without them would be unimaginable, especially with the Covid-19 pandemic showing no signs of letting-up.

Given how many Malaysians have taken to staying at home for their own safety, the somewhat dangerous job of delivery riders does not go unappreciated.

Sharita Loo, founder of Ombak Kitchen, has launched an initiative in which delivery riders enjoy a free meal whenever a customer places an order from her restaurant.

But who is Loo? And how did she come to believe strongly in the need to give back to society?

Speaking to FMT, the entrepreneur explains that her personal mission is to enrich life and living. “Everything that I do, that I create, I want to make sure everything surrounding me is enriched too.”

Saying she is not a social entrepreneur, she explains that she still considers profit to be important in the grand scheme of things, simply because it affords her the means to reach out and assist others.

Coming from a modest background, Loo says she always dreamed big, wanting to be more than an office drone working a thankless job.

“I wanted to do more. I realised that I could only enjoy freedom of choice through entrepreneurship.”

She worked hard to carve her path to career success, starting off as an assistant and rising to become a manager within a span of seven years.

She says her time working in the corporate world enlightened her on the ins-and-outs of business, and her first endeavour as a supplier of cakes and baking supplies was a relative success.

This success and experience gave her the confidence to venture into the restaurant industry for the first time, opening Ombak Kitchen in Bukit Jelutong, Shah Alam in 2018.

While it may sound like a dream, the experience did not come without its fair share of ups and downs.

The first six months were the hardest, says Loo, as she was a newcomer in a fiercely competitive industry.

“Even if you have an A-class product, you want people to know you.”

Her restaurant is based on a Louisianian seafood spread concept, which has become somewhat trendy in Malaysia.

She explains that she wanted to provide Malaysian consumers with an option for halal seafood, and to allow urbanites to enjoy good seafood without having to travel to coastal regions.

To catch everyone’s attention, her tagline reads: “Pakai tangan jer” (Just use your hands).

She says the lack of foot traffic in the location was worrying at first but that timely exposure on social media, in the form of positive food reviews, proved to be a lifesaver.

What makes her happiest, she tells FMT, is knowing customers see visits to her restaurant as a treat.

And when the Covid-19 pandemic disrupted business, Loo persevered in reaching out to customers. It was also during this time of uncertainty that a brilliant idea was hatched.

“We came up with a project called ‘Share Happiness’. Let’s say you place an order for home delivery. From this fund that we have, we will give a free meal to the rider who delivers your food.”

Riders will be given food packets inscribed with the name of the customer who placed the order, so that they know that the public is looking out for them.

Loo asserts her belief in the importance of entrepreneurs to give back to society. “If you don’t give back, you’re not connected to the community. I would not be here today if not for my loyal customers.”

She described the process of giving back as a circle of life, where community support buoys the success of businesses, which in turn provides for the community.

She also attributes the success of her restaurant to having a good team that believes in working together.

Even with the extra financial stress of Covid-19, Loo still enjoys strong support from the people around her. “During the pandemic, you find out who your true friends really are.”

She remains ambitious even now, still inspired to spread her wings further as she wants more people to experience good food in a good environment.

And what advice does she have for people seeking to enter the restaurant business?

“Put your heart and soul into it. If you do this, nothing can go wrong. Be very honest with yourself, and with your customers. Run your business honestly,” she says.

“Making profit is easy, but sustaining the business is the secret. And to sustain the business, you must be honest in everything that you do.”