YOURSAY 'A business can fail due to any one of these reasons. But it takes a manager of legendary proportions to fail in all categories.'

'Jom Makan' restaurants a recipe for disaster

Odin: The auditor-general's findings of bad location, inexperience, a menu that was too wide, unreasonable prices, bad-tasting food and poor quality tell us two things:

1) MyFranchise has concocted the perfect recipes for disaster; and

2) The sole desire was to make a fast buck (unreasonable prices).

Any real restaurateurs would conceive of and practise steps that entice diners not only to come but also to become repeat customers. The government ought to be concerned only with governing and leave business to businesspeople.

Yap cs: "Bad location, inexperience, a menu that was too wide, unreasonable prices, bad-tasting food and poor quality."

A business can fail due to any one of these reasons. But it takes a manager of legendary proportions to fail in all categories. A restaurant serving 'bad-tasting' food?

Onyourtoes: Of course, it has to be a complete failure. I have said it a thousand times already. There is no business model where an "entrepreneur" (more correctly a crony) is given capital without risk to a business.

Tell me, why would he bother to ensure that the business is viable or cost efficient. Just take the money, squander a little and keep the rest. A few months later, declare bankrupt and everybody involved this ‘Jom Makan' will be laughing their way to the bank.

This is the perennial nincompoop moral hazard problem which is as old as prostitution is a profession. I guess no one listen because I guess no one bother to understand what I am talking about here.

FellowMalaysian: Wrong location, lack of experience in food business, high prices and poor quality foods are the recipe for what to avoid in setting up a eatery.

Fraud was identified but the errant manager was let off. So nobody is responsible for all the failures? Yet another fiasco like PKFZ (Port Klang Free Zone)?

Clever voter: Successful businesses start with sweat, hard work and thrift. You see that in many of the success stories, including many in this country.

But when you have politicians and their friends doing this, it is something else. Where on earth can you find a RM20 million 'investment' in a food business - that's fishy!

Ipoh2: Even if it is too costly to start a civil suit to recover the money, at the very least the embezzlement should have been reported to the Japanese police for action, unless there is no proof that it happened.

Why report to the Malaysian police when it happened in Japan?

In any case, who in MyFranchise was held responsible to allow such a thing to happen? Was the person sacked or at least reprimanded?

Mogansivas: The Jom Makan outlet in London was a joke. The service was not up to standard and the whole set-up was a farce.

It was really embarrassing for me to take my guest there to sample and show off my country's cuisine for which Malaysia is famed. What a letdown to showcase Malaysia at Trafalgar Square.

Akutuan: An investment of RM20 million and it lost 75 percent in five years. You lend me RM20 million, I can double it in three years. The government of the day must work for the rakyat, not use rakyat money to do business.

Faz: It is the same modus operandi being applied by the Umnoputras to the ever agreeing, scared public servants, knowing the projects are sanctioned by the cabinet.

Everything must be urgently set up to showcase our capability but on the hindsight, looking at the Auditors's Report, any of the reasons given will make the business still-born.

Yet, look at the private restaurants owned by Malaysians in far away places selling authentic Malaysian flavours which are doing a roaring business. This is nothing more than a sting operation by Umnoputras with blessing from the top.

Not Confused: It seems that everything the BN touches turns to dust, in the wake of massive payments to individuals who have been involved and who continue to get paid even after the entities involved go out of business.

Their record of inefficiency, incompetence, bordering on fraud is appalling. It is a clear confirmation that government should never be involved in commercial activities.

However, in Malaysia, it is stock-in-trade of the government, allowing the leaders and their friends to syphon off millions before the demise of the enterprises concerned.

While this mentality continues, Malaysia will forever be in the shadow of its neighbours, including its nemesis, Singapore.

Mushiro: Is our money in honest and good hands? It looks like everyone of them are dirty crooks who shamelessly become rich by looting.

Anonymous #19098644: My God, when you start to add up all the amounts that have gone into the drain, leakages, excessive pricing, abandoned projects, etc, it goes into billions and billions.

All this could have easily been used to upgrade the public transport system, the roads, support the marginalised Indians, Islamic, mission and Chinese schools, enhance the piping to reduce revenue loss from water leakages, etc.

Instead it is money down the tubes. And this irresponsible, incompetent, corrupt BN politicians still want another term?

Every Vote Counts: Closer to home... Sekinchan Ikan Bakar, same operatives?

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