“I remember selling gula tarik at school, just to help my mother,” says Datuk Seri Mohamed Faroz Mohamed Jakel, Group Managing Director of Jakel Group. “We were poor. Life was tough. But I told myself: one day, I will change everything.”
Today, Datuk Faroz leads Jakel, a billion-ringgit business and one of Malaysia’s most iconic brands, known not only for its vibrant textiles and bustling Raya campaigns, but also for its growing presence in property, renewable energy, and now, digital infrastructure.
But this success story didn’t begin in grandeur. It was born out of hardship, perseverance, and quiet, unshakable resolve.
From RM15 a Week to Building an Empire
At just eight years old, Faroz began selling sweets at school, earning around RM15 a week, every cent of which he handed to his mother to help her start a small food business. That marked the beginning of his entrepreneurial spirit.
One particularly painful moment remains etched in Faroz’s memory, the day a landlord publicly scolded his father for failing to pay six months’ rent.
“The landlord humiliated my father and threatened to burn the house down as we couldn’t afford to service our rental,” Faroz shares.
“From that moment on, I was determined to change the fate of my family and not let such a situation happen again.”
That vow became the seed of something much greater than he could have imagined; a legacy now worth billions.
A Legacy Rooted in Struggle and Grit
Jakel’s journey began long before its name became a staple in Malaysian households. In 1980, the family’s modest fabric shop in Muar was abruptly shut down after the building’s owner reclaimed the premises. Stripped of a storefront, Faroz’s father, Mohamed Jakel bin Ahmad, did what he could to keep the family afloat. For three long years, he cycled from estate to estate, selling off old stock, clothes and fabrics that had little demand.
In 1983, his late father founded Jakel Trading selling carpets and curtains from a small rented lot in Muar to support his wife and twelve children. There was no capital cushion, no fancy marketing, just hard work, faith, and an unwavering desire to survive. But even with that, the struggle continued.
By 1985, the business had relocated to Segamat, where they began by renting just a quarter of a shop lot. It was a humble restart, but one filled with promise, especially with the development of nearby FELDA settlements, which brought new customers and fresh opportunities.
As the business gained momentum, the following year saw the retail space expand to occupy the entire shop lot. With growth came greater responsibility, and Faroz’s siblings, Abdul Shiraz, Mohamed Nizam, Mohamed Izani, Luqman, along with their sisters stepped in.
Seeing beyond carpets, the siblings encouraged their father to explore a new path: textile trading. It was a bold move, and it proved to be the right one. Jakel shifted its focus to offering a broader selection of fabrics and textiles, sold at wholesale prices directly to the public. This change marked a significant turning point in their journey.
By 1992, Jakel had taken its first major step into the semi-wholesale market, importing fabrics from Singaporean suppliers and distributing them to pasar malam traders.
Bump in the Road
In 1997, the Asian financial crisis hit. With supply chains disrupted, Singaporean partners could no longer deliver. Most businesses would have folded, but Jakel pivoted.
“We took a gamble. I reached out to suppliers in Japan and South Korea. It took six months to convince them we were serious. They saw our heart, and they said yes,” he explains.
That bold move became the turning point. Jakel began importing directly, increasing profit margins and control over quality. Later that year, the company bought the Rex Theatre in Segamat for RM1.6 million, transforming it into a textile haven. Within months, customers from across the country began arriving in droves, sometimes 150 buses in a weekend.
Jakel Becomes a Giant, But Keeps Its Roots
The momentum didn’t stop there. Throughout the 2000s, Jakel expanded aggressively, establishing massive outlets across the country. In 2006, they opened Wisma Jakel in Jalan Masjid India, right in the heart of Kuala Lumpur, a bold move that signalled their arrival in the capital’s bustling retail scene.
This was followed by Jakel Shah Alam in 2009, a flagship outlet that cost RM40 million to build. Then in 2013, they bought Cap Square and turned it into Jakel Square, one of their most ambitious projects yet. This landmark development now houses Jakel Mall, and numerous local tenants and small businesses.
From its humble beginnings as a rented corner shop selling carpets, Jakel has grown into a nationwide retail powerhouse. Today, the company boasts over 22 branches, employs more than 6,000 Malaysians, and generates billions of ringgit in annual revenue. Yet, despite their size and success, the company has never strayed far from its roots.
Even during peak seasons, when sales are at their highest and workloads intensify, Jakel remains committed to rewarding its staff fairly with generous bonuses and recognitions. The company also holds strong to its values of giving back. Every year during Ramadan, Jakel organises outreach programs for orphans, single mothers, and the elderly, reflecting the company’s belief that success means nothing unless it’s shared.
From Textiles to Tech
What truly marks a new chapter in Jakel’s story is its recent expansion into digital infrastructure. Through Jakel Capital Sdn Bhd (JCSB), the family’s investment arm, the company has taken a massive step into the future.
In 2024, Jakel committed RM1 billion in capital for strategic investments, and this year, they’re investing even more. The crown jewel? A RM1.2 billion Tier III data centre in Cyberjaya, developed in partnership with PiDC Holding Bhd.
Spanning 7.3 acres and being built in three phases, the facility is already in construction and will be completed by the fourth quarter of 2025. Most of the capacity in Phase 1 is already booked, signalling massive demand.
“This isn’t just another business,” says Faroz.
“This is about contributing to Malaysia’s digital transformation, empowering a new digital workforce, and putting local companies at the forefront of innovation.”
“Jakel, Barulah Raya”: A Festive Movement with Meaning
This year, Jakel introduced 10 celebrity ambassadors, including Fattah Amin, Amira Othman, Nabil Ahmad and family, Anzalna, Elly Mazlein, Cik Epal, Senariounion, and even Upin & Ipin.
Each ambassador will showcase exclusive festive collections crafted from breathable, thicker, quick-dry fabrics with cleaner tailoring.
“We want everyone,young or old, from villages to cities to look good, feel proud, and spend smart this Raya,” Faroz shares.
New colours like Emerald Green, Fuchsia, Powder Blue, and Burgundy dominate this year’s collection. Baju Melayu Madani is priced at RM99, complete with a complimentary samping worth RM49, while premium editions like Fattah Amin’s Baju Melayu are available at RM149, with an upgraded samping.
The target? Over 1 million adult outfits and 1.5 million matching family sets, with a 30% growth in sales projected from the previous year.
A Legacy in Motion
Jakel’s journey is proof that great things can come from small beginnings. From a tiny shop in Muar and a father who cycled around selling fabric just to survive, the family worked hard, stayed strong, and never gave up. What started with struggle has now become one of the biggest names in Malaysia, not just in textiles, but in many other industries too. It’s a story of family, faith, and the courage to dream big even when times were tough.
“Hard work and determination have brought us here today and made us what we are,” says Datuk Seri Mohamed Faroz Mohamed Jakel.
“By the grace of God, with the strict teachings of my late father and blessings from my mother, as well as the hard work of my siblings, Jakel has become known as the leader of the Bumiputera textile business in Malaysia.”
Jakel’s story reminds us that no matter how small you start, with effort, belief, and support from the people you love, anything is possible.
Source: 1| 2| 3| 4| 5
Related articles:
Tiong Su Kouk: Once a Fishmonger with RM3.40, Now a RM204 Million Tycoon
Who Is Yusuf Taiyoob, and Why Do We Whisper His Name Every Ramadan?
Discussion about this post