Backyard cafes in JB village give owners hope of lease extension

Locals bank on increased economic activity boosting their case, preserving area’s heritage

- Harith Mustaffa

Newlyweds Izwan Zaini and Azrin Zainal took a leap of faith in 2024 when they decided to set up a cafe selling their distinctive laksa, not in urban Johor Bahru, but in a quiet community about 10 minutes’ drive from downtown.

The pair moved into a 70-year-old landed family home in a sleepy lane in Kampung Melayu Majidee, the village where Mr Izwan was born and raised.

He hopes that if his cafe thrives, it may help his case to extend the lease on the land and preserve the area from any future redevelopment.

“Kampung Melayu is not just a food haven, but also a source of pride and heritage for us here in JB. To preserve it has been our main goal,” Mr Izwan, 33, told The Straits Times.

The couple said their cafe - Ruma Tengah — has been doing well since opening in August 2024. Their signature dish is laksa Johor, which uses spaghetti - instead of rice noodles — topped with a rich, creamy herring broth, fresh salad and sambal belacan. It is popular with local councillors and even the Johor Palace.

Ruma Tengah is one of more than a dozen “backyard cafes” that have sprung up in the area over the last few years. Operating from residential properties, they are turning parts of a once-quiet Malay village into a bustling night spot for local food fare.

Most belong to a loose network of locals who expect that increased economic activity will strengthen their fight to extend their leases before these expire in 2053, allowing them to retain the land beyond that date.

Despite its proximity to downtown, the village is mostly made up of decades-old homes - some dilapidated, some abandoned - making it prime real estate for the state government. A redevelopment would necessitate the relocation of original settlers.