Idris Alias and Fatimah Ishak started their small home-based business in 1984 after Fatimah inherited a muruku recipe from her husband’s mother.
“I was seven months pregnant at the time, and had very little capital to start with, so we only made muruku in small batches. But I gave it a go, taking orders from friends,” Fatimah, 63, told Bernama.
From those early days, they managed to grow the business under the Muruku Bonda brand. In 2016, they opened a shop in Kubang Semang, Seberang Perai, funded by profits they had invested.
According to Fatimah, Muruku Bonda uses natural ingredients, with no artificial colouring, and is entirely free from eggs, anchovies, or any animal-based products, making it ideal for those on a vegetarian diet.
Interestingly, over 85% of their customers are from the Chinese community, making Chinese New Year their peak sales period.
“We even received orders from Taiwan at one point, but had to turn them down because the shipping costs were too high. The customer flew over themselves and bought in bulk to take home,” she recalled.
Currently, they operate with two frying machines, though only one is used on regular days. The couple produce around 150kg of muruku daily, and up to 200kg during festive periods.
Idris, meanwhile, shared that their son and daughter-in-law now help run the family business.
The 67-year-old said one of the main challenges they face is their limited operating space, which makes it difficult to meet growing demand. They even had to decline an offer to stock Muruku Bonda in a major convenience-store chain.
Nonetheless, the husband and wife remain determined to expand to a larger facility in the future, and hope to pass the business down to their only child.
“My advice to young entrepreneurs is to understand your product and your customers, and to have patience. That is vital in the business world,” Idris said.
“Most importantly, as Muslims, we must remember to give charity and pay zakat. That’s the key to lasting blessings – not just in wealth, but also in health.”
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