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If you’ve ever walked past a small coffee stall in Taman Melawati and caught the scent of freshly brewed espresso, you might’ve stumbled upon Silent Brew—a humble setup run by a man with an even stronger spirit.
Meet Muhammad Farid bin Muhammad Mustafa, or as many fondly call him, Farid. At 39, he’s not just serving up your morning caffeine fix. He’s living proof that resilience, passion, and a little bit of faith can go a long way.
A life-changing accident at 10
Farid was born with all his physical sense intact, but that all changed after a motorcycle accident when he was just 10.
I hit a pothole and crashed. My ears and nose were bleeding,” he recalled. “A month later, my dad noticed something was off—I wasn’t responding to him at all.
“Doctors later confirmed that my cochlea was damaged and that I suffered profound hearing loss. As such, I had to rely entirely on lip-reading in school until I turned 12, where I began using hearing aids.
“I used to sit in front and try to catch what the teacher was saying by reading their lips. It wasn’t easy, but I never gave up,” he recounted.
Before coffee, there was engineering (and pharmacy)
From a young age, Farid’s life mainly revolved around medicine and engineering. Growing up in Kelantan, he spent his days helping out at his father’s pharmacy, reading pharmacy books for fun, and even learning informal pharmacy knowledge from his father. He could memorise anything related to medicine with ease.
But life had other plans for him.
In 2012, he had to leave to focus on helping with the family business. Farid was studying at UniKL, pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Engineering (Networking Systems), but he had to drop out due to several reasons.
The café that started it all… and the pandemic that ended it
In early 2020, Farid opened My Dulang Café in Batu Caves, only for it to be hit by the Covid-19 pandemic just two weeks later, the pandemic hit.
Like many small businesses, the café couldn’t survive and ultimately shut down in 2024.
“I had no capital left and didn’t know what to do. That was when my wife stepped in. She used to run a small roadside stall selling soto and curry mee but struggled to keep food fresh amid the heat. So, she offered the stall to me and encouraged me to sell coffee instead.”
And that was the which sparked the birth of Silent Brew.
Every morning, Farid sets up his stall by 6:30am. He hauls out his equipment, including a massive 30kg generator just to power his coffee machine and grinder. It’s a lot of work—physically and mentally.
Before starting his street coffee business, Farid didn’t have a generator. A kind acquaintance helped by launching a crowdfunding campaign through the app Threads, which successfully raised the funds he needed to get one. Unfortunately, just a month later, the generator broke down and had to be sent for servicing, forcing him to pause his business operations temporarily.
Feeling lost and uncertain, Farid shared an update on the same app, explaining that his business had to close for a while due to the damaged generator. That’s when a kind-hearted individual reached out and offered him a second-hand generator so he could continue running his stall.
Because the donated generator was extremely heavy—over 50kg—Farid decided to leave it securely locked at his stall using a chain. However, after using it for just over three weeks, he returned one day to find it missing. Someone had cut the chain and stolen it. A police report was lodged, and thankfully, around the same time, the generator that had been sent for servicing was finally ready to use again.
But he still dreams of something simpler.
“I just want a small space where I can leave my things. Carrying them every day is breaking my back.”
When communication isn’t always easy
Farid uses a cochlear implant and relies heavily on lip-reading, and while most customers are kind and understanding, there are moments when things get tough.
“Sometimes I mishear orders. If someone asks for two cups, I might hear one. Some customers get frustrated, but once I explain I’m disabled, they usually understand,” he shared.
His wife isn’t fluent in sign language either, but they communicate just fine.
“We talk normally. He didn’t grow up learning sign language as he only lost his hearing later in life,” she explained.
His next goal: a place to call his own
Despite the daily grind, Farid remains hopeful about the road ahead. His ultimate wish? A small, permanent space where he doesn’t have to lug heavy equipment every day.
“Right now, everything’s done by hand. Just a little place where I can set things up properly would mean the world,” he said.
Until then, he’ll keep doing what he does best: serving cups of coffee brewed with passion, grit, and a quiet determination that speaks louder than words.
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