The crustaceans shown are for illustration only
by Dr Rahim Said
Well, well, well, it was bound to happen. Nasi lemak — the beloved breakfast of champions, where humble coconut rice gets cosy with sambal, ikan bilis, peanuts, and that trusty fried or boiled egg. A dish so sacred to our national identity that, naturally, someone had to slap a ridiculous price tag on it.
Enter the RM410 nasi lemak — now starring lobster!
Yes, my dear friends, we’ve officially reached the point where this once-affordable, soul-soothing staple has been transformed into a bougie feast that could make your bank account scream in pain.
Remember when RM5 got you a hearty banana-leaf bundle of joy? Well, toss that memory out the window because now, for the low, low price of RM410, you can indulge in two lobsters, some stuffed squid, prawns, fish roe, fried chicken, and –because restraint is overrated — sambal quail eggs.
When you’re eating lobster for breakfast, subtlety is not on the menu. This is not even at a five-star hotel or an upscale restaurant in Kuala Lumpur. It’s at a street vendor in Besut, Terengganu.
Thanks to a viral TikTok video, we now know that this absurdly expensive version of nasi lemak exists. RM410 for two people to enjoy what’s essentially a glammed-up breakfast? That’s like paying for nasi lemak and throwing in a few car payments for good measure.
Now, don’t get me wrong. Lobster is pricey—we all know that. RM180 for two lobsters sounds about right in the world of luxury seafood. But this begs the question: Are we even calling this nasi lemak anymore? Or have we stumbled into some bizarre alternate reality where nasi lemak is just a blank canvas for rich people’s culinary fantasies?
What happened to the simple joys of sambal-loaded nasi lemak, packed with nostalgia and wrapped in a banana leaf that cost less than your morning coffee? Was it not enough to toss in the occasional fried chicken or sambal paru? And if we’re going down this road, why stop at lobster? Let’s go all in — add truffle oil, foie gras, and maybe sprinkle some edible gold flakes on top. Heck, serve it with a side of Dom Pérignon, because why not?
The internet, of course, reacted with its usual mix of horror and amusement. Some people were left speechless by the bill while others shrugged and pointed out the obvious: seafood, especially lobster, is expensive. Well, sure. But do we need to gild the nasi lemak lily?
This isn’t even about the lobster. It’s about our collective obsession with turning something that’s supposed to unite us into a status symbol. Nasi lemak was once the great equalizer, enjoyed by all. Now? It’s a spectacle, a symbol of how far we’re willing to go to turn something beautiful and simple into a luxury item. What’s next? RM500 roti canai topped with caviar?
In the end, if you’ve got RM410 to burn on breakfast, that’s good for you. As for the rest of us, I’ll stick to my RM5 nasi lemak with a fried egg and sambal –lobster can wait until I’ve won the lottery.
Dr Rahim Said is a human behaviourist and regular contributor to digital media platforms. He is a professional management consultant, a corporate trainer and an executive coach specialising in coaching senior executives and individual entrepreneurs to modify their behaviour and pursue their cherished missions. (The views expressed by our columnist are entirely his own)
WE