From Palestine to Malaysia: Chef Defies Conflict, Brings Taste of Home to Local Palates

16 March 2024

In Kampar sits an Arabic restaurant that is favoured by local Kamparians and students. Despite everyone enjoying middle eastern cuisine, not many people know the story of the restaurant owner.

The owner of Nasi Arab & Mr. Kunafa, Muhammad Alnajjar, is a Palestinian-born PhD candidate from UTAR who is conducting academic research on SMEs in Malaysia.

During the early days of his doctoral studies, Mohammad Alnajjar thought of selling Kunafa, a traditional Arabic dessert, merely as a pastime rather than a serious business venture. However, after a successful attempt at last year's Bazaar Ramadan, he opened his own restaurant, offering Nasi Arab, Shawarma, and more.

Before the war erupted in his hometown of Gaza, he planned to run his business in Malaysia for only three years, as he would return to his country and reunite with his family after he finished his studies. 

News correspondent representing Kampar Daily speaks with Mohammed Alnajjar

However, since Gaza has become a war zone, the basic infrastructures were badly damaged and people could not even know if they could survive there.  

“There is no life in Gaza, my son told me not to go back if I love them even though I really want to return.

“They shot my brother. They called me from Gaza, telling me I have lost my brother and all his family,” he said. 

He mentioned that he does not know what he can do now if he goes back to Gaza. Since then, Mohammed Alnajjar has decided to change his plan, as his only option now is to stay in Malaysia and bring his family from Palestine here for a new life.

“Even though I wish to bring them here as soon as possible, no one is allowed to leave there right now. And also the cost for leaving is high, it’s about RM100000,” he mentioned.

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金宝新街场有一家由外国留学生经营的阿拉伯餐厅，该餐厅原定在三年内结束营业，却因餐厅老板的故乡发生变故，计划也随之发生变化，预计将持续营业下去。

Nasi Arab & Mr. Kunafa 阿拉伯餐厅的老板，穆罕默德·阿尔纳贾尔来自巴勒斯坦，是一名拉曼大学博士学位的在读生，专注研究马来西亚中小型企业。

他在受访时指出，自己起初只打算售卖阿拉伯甜点库纳法来打发空闲时间，但因在去年斋戒月市集上的生意略有小成，深受顾客青睐，便决定开一家售卖各种阿拉伯美食的餐厅。

他补充，开设餐厅后，自己原本的计划只是经营三年，并在完成自己的博士学位后便回乡与家人团聚。然而，自从他的家乡——加沙成为了两国冲突的战场后，那里的基础设施已尽数遭到破坏，居民们只能每日提心吊胆，祈祷自己在战争中幸存下来。

“我的孩子告诉我，如果我爱他们，就不要回去，虽然我真的很想回去。此外，我的兄长也在那里被射杀了，我收到从加沙打来的电话，通知我兄长和他的家人都已经不在了。”

他表示，就算自己现在回去加沙，也不晓得自己能做些什么，因此目前唯一的选择是继续长居在马来西亚，并将自己的妻儿接来这里开始新的人生。

“虽然我真的很想尽早将他们接过来，但目前没人有办法离开那里。就算要离开，所需费用也高达10万令吉。”

Reported by Hiroki Loh Shington l 报道：罗盛顿