Malaysian housewives cook up digital gold – with love, labour and live-streams
More of Malaysia’s housewives are doubling up as content creators to earn a living with videos that have drawn a huge fan base
These women have taken what started as a hobby and turned it into a fully-fledged business. Videos of dishes like nasi lemak, sambal udang and chicken rendang now regularly rake in millions of views online, earning their creators not just likes but lucrative brand deals and five-figure monthly incomes.
Fatihah, based in Puchong, Selangor, uses her videos to showcase the preparation of beloved Malaysian dishes like ayam percik and Indian prawn curry, blending traditional recipes with modern production techniques. But behind her seamless content lies a juggling act of roles: chef, videographer, editor, accountant and full-time mother.