DIB … doing its best! 

Tucked in a corner of the First Floor of Menara Gamuda in Damansara Perdana, is a ‘hidden deaf cafe’, the realization of one man’s dream to bring hope and dignity to the deaf through skills training and business entrepreneurship.

Aptly named DIB (Deaf in Business) Restaurant Cafe and Catering, Dr. AllenTeh’s vision was to become ‘the largest employer of deaf people in Malaysia’.  Now in its 13^th year of operation, the halal-certified restaurant cafe offers a varied menu of local and Western dishes, coffees, and desserts.

Being hosts for our July Enak, both Lam Lai Meng and I, Chuah Siew Yen, were keen to introduce Enak members to this social enterprise.

The menu was priced at RM45 per person. On the 11^{th of} July, 16 Enakers, MCG members, and guests lunched on a selection of fresh garden salad followed by wild mushroom, or pumpkin soup with garlic bread.

This was complemented by one of four main course selections: Sweet-sour perch with rice, Lemon butter perch and creamy pasta, Peri-peri chicken with coleslaw and fries, and Beef meatballs with fries.

The wild mushroom soup and peri-peri chicken set were the two most popular dishes and the lemon butter perch with creamy pasta was another tasty combination.

For many of us, it was our first experience having a meal prepared and served by the deaf community. The very thought made this meal special, one to be savored with gratitude. We were glad to be in a place that promoted inclusion and acceptance of people with disabilities.

Deep within all of us is the desire for them to have a lifetime of employment, and to dismiss the barriers they may encounter in their everyday lives.

Dessert was Pulut tai tai, compressed white and blue glutinous rice topped with a rich egg and coconut cream custard, aka kaya. Not on the regular menu, we had it prepared just for us.

Allen shared that celebrating their entrepreneurship is not without challenges. As a social enterprise, funding and grants from official sources are hard to come by, and DIB has had to continuously strive to sustain its operations. The COVID years were a setback. Staff morale waned, and it was through sheer grit and determination on the part of many that DIB is still thriving today.

Funding DIB is primarily by selling its food and services to consumers. While earning profits is not the sole motivation, revenue is essential for its sustainability. It was for this reason that Enak hosts Lai Meng, and I chose DIB as our July Enak venue.

Though not claiming to be 5-star in quality and presentation, the meals were all of good value, and the overriding satisfaction is to have created awareness of DIB and its role in dispelling societal misconceptions of people with disabilities. Indeed, DIB has done its best!! Can we say it’s an Enak with a different perspective?

Review by Chuah Siew Yen

Photos thanks to Vicki Fennessey, Keats Markandu and Rosemary Chin