Johor man sells char kway teow for 92 cents
Sign up now: Get insights on Asia's fast-moving developments
Mr Koh Tang Huang had kept the price of the noodles at RM2.50 for 15 years, only raising it in 2025 to cope with rising costs.
PHOTO: THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
DeeperDive is a beta AI feature. Refer to full articles for the facts.
MUAR, Johor – Imagine selling a product at the same price for 15 years, only raising it for the first time four months ago by a mere 50 sen.
That is the case for cost-conscious Mr Koh Tang Huang, whose char kway teow is now priced at just RM3 (S$0.92) at a time when food prices are soaring.
“I aim to follow in my grandfather and father’s footsteps and serve affordable food,” he said.
Decades ago, his grandfather used to sell char kway teow at a mobile stall for RM0.03 a plate.
When Mr Koh was a young boy, he would watch his father fry up plates after plates of char kway teow at his humble stall for RM0.30.
Now aged 71, Mr Koh is continuing his family’s business by selling the popular wok-fried noodles at a coffee shop stall along Jalan Sungai Abong in the small town of Muar.
“I want to keep it affordable, especially for the patients and their family members going to the specialist hospital nearby. They already have enough to worry about,” he said.
In an interview, he recalled his younger days working as a meter reader for multinational electric company Tenaga Nasional Bhd.
“On weekends and public holidays, I would help my father. That was when I learnt the ropes. I took over the business full-time after retiring 15 years ago, making me the third generation in my family to sell char kway teow,” he said.
Mr Koh had kept the price of the noodles at RM2.50 for 15 years, only raising it in 2025 to cope with the rising costs.
“The price increase was inevitable, as cockles that once cost 80 sen per kilo are now RM15 to RM16,” he said.
“Bean sprouts and noodles have also more than tripled in price over the years.”
Despite the price hike to RM3 per plate, Mr Koh continues to serve reasonable portions, with cockles available as an optional add-on, as not all customers want them.
Assisted by his wife, Mr Koh starts work from 6am and operate the stall until noon daily without hired hands to keep expenses low.
With their three children having their own careers, Mr Koh said he has no financial burdens and no desire to reap big profits.
“I am not aiming to get rich. I just want to serve good food at a price people can afford,” he added. THE STAR/ASIA NEWS NETWORK
