Latest news with #MuhammadSyafiq
The Star
30-07-2025
- Business
- The Star
Kopitiam bites, street food prices
(From left) Ayam Gepuk, chrysanthemum tea, Vietnamese drip coffee and big breakfast at Kopitiam 2BD. — Photos: AZMAN GHANI/The Star Abu (left) and Muhammad Syafiq. IN THE middle of a busy area in Taman Setiawangsa, Kuala Lumpur, a two-storey food court is packed with customers enjoying a variety of dishes. Medan Selera Setiawangsa is a popular hangout and breakfast and lunch dining spot for students and those working nearby. On the second floor, one will find Kopitiam 2BD, a stall offering Ayam Gepuk at a low price. This is a popular Indonesian dish of smashed chicken coated with sambal, widely consumed by Malaysians. Stall owner Muhammad Syafiq Muhamed Sa'ad, 37, said he wanted to contribute to the people by offering food at a low price. He said, 'My friend and I used to work together in a restaurant that sold pricey food. 'We had an idea and dream to offer such restaurant food in a stall setup.' Abu (left) and Mohammad Shafiq So Muhammad Syafiq and his friend Abu Ubaidah Mohd Zaki, 30, opened a budget and family-friendly stall at the food court and called it Kopitiam 2BD that stands for 'Kopitiam Dua Budak Dapur'. Opened since August last year, the stall is managed by Muhammad Syafiq while Abu does the cooking. 'We welcome and celebrate not only students but families too,' Abu said. 'Children, especially toddlers, would prefer seasoned rice rather than plain white rice. 'So we give our Ayam Gepuk rice a slight twist by adding special seasoning.' The dish comes with boneless chicken, coated in crispy chicken flour and deep fried in high heat for a delightful crunch. It is served with house-made sambal using Thai red chillis mixed with a nutty sauce consisting of cashew nuts and peanuts. For coffee lovers, Ayam Gepuk pairs perfectly with a cup of kopi tenggek, inspired by Vietnamese drip coffee and made using Hainanese beans sourced from Ipoh, Perak. It is served with a filter cap and a touch of condensed milk. 'For breakfast, our most popular dish is 'Omputeh big breakfast' (full English breakfast) consisting of two sunny-side-up eggs, baked beans, chicken sausage and beef bacon. 'It's got a good mix of protein and carbs, served with chrysanthemum tea, just right to start the day,' said Abu. 'That is why we opened the stall as early as 7.30am to cater to the breakfast crowd, especially nearby workers.' Those with a sweet tooth can enjoy western dessert of ice creams served with options of croissant, brownie bread or peanut butter bread. Depending on the order, the price goes up to RM10. The stall operates on a self-service concept, where customers are given a number after payment and are required to collect their food at the counter once ready. Kopitiam 2BD opens from Saturday to Thursday, 7.30am to 4pm. It is located at Level 1, Medan Selera Setiawangsa. For details, call 011-1010 8179.
The Star
12-06-2025
- Health
- The Star
Campus fun for special kids
UPM student volunteers helping children with Down syndrome transplant bunches of salad from hydroponic containers to small pots for the children to take home. UPM student body organises activities for 80 with Down syndrome An event held specifically for children with Down syndrome at Bukit Ekspo, an agricultural centre and recreational space within Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM) in Serdang, Selangor, proved to be a fun-filled day. Organised by UPM Student Representative Council (MPP) with help from 50 volunteer students from other universities, it welcomed 80 children with Down syndrome aged between one and 12. Accompanied by their parents and caregivers, the children took part in a 3km brisk walk. Along this path were four activity checkpoints where they could arrange puzzles, draw patterns on traditional water jars and transplant salad bunches from their hydroponic containers to portable pots which the children could take home. Event director UPM MPP secretary-general Muhamad Syafiq Mohd Salleh, 22, said the activities were designed by participating volunteers who had taken into consideration the limited motor skills of children born with Down syndrome. Muhammad Syafiq said his inspiration to organise the event was from his late cousin who was born with Down syndrome. Parents and their children going for a 3km walk on campus grounds. In addition to physical activities, the children's parents were also given time to share their experiences. 'Among the topics raised were how parents should not be overly protective by doing everything for children with Down syndrome,' said Muhammad Syafiq. 'Instead, they should allow them to discover their own strengths and capabilities. 'For a start, they should be given responsibilities to do household chores, for example,' he elaborated. He said the programme's objective was to give UPM students the opportunity to understand the reality of life in special communities and cultivate the spirit of inclusivity. He said the direct involvement of students in such programmes could serve to help them delve deeper into challenges as well as explore capabilities of the Down syndrome community. UPM Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences lecturer Dr Nor Azyati Yusoff said such programmes had a positive impact on the development of special children. 'Planned social activities like this can stimulate their motor, social and emotional skills. 'In fact, it also gives parents the opportunity to see their children's true potential in a supportive and open environment,' he said. The programme is supported by the UPM student affairs division, Farm Fresh, RHB Islamic Bank, Jiwa Malaysia, Pertubuhan Ihsan Masyarakat Malaysia, Satria Malaysia, Volunteer Trip Malaysia, UPM chancellor college volunteering and internationalisation secretariat, as well as the Down syndrome parent-community from Kuala Lumpur, Selangor and Putrajaya. ― By GRACE CHEN
