In the early part of 1993, a few Traditional Restaurant operators from Klang (those who were operating food business even before our constituencies' independence), Mr. K. Vijayan of Ganga Vilas Restaurant, Mr. T. Muthusamy of Thanalaksmi Vilas, Mr. R. Chinnachamy of Sri Buhari Restoran, Mr. Pandian of Klang Pandian Restaurant and Mr. Jayaraman of Gomathy Vilas got together at Ganga Vilas Restaurant, to discuss the trade related issues faced by them and mutually agreed to work together and assist each other during crucial needs.
These gentlemen later realized the need for a united body to represent the Indian restaurant businesses to voice out their problems to the relevant authorities.
They immediately contacted the Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Indian Chamber of Commerce & Industry (KLSICCI) to seek its advice and guidance to establish an Association to represent the Indian Food Businesses in the country. Mr. S. P. Sivakumar, then KLSICCI's Executive Secretary who was playing a key role in assisting Indian Trade related organisations in forming their respective associations and extended his full cooperation and guidance them.
KLSICCI offered out its helping hand by assisting to organise the first ever meeting at KLSICCI hall in mid 1993.The Klang group of gentlemen took the initiatives on their own by visiting each and every restaurant owners around Klang Valley and invited them for the said meeting.
KLSICCI'S official M.I.B.P assisting to form the Association
Kuala Lumpur & Selangor Indian Restaurant owners Association 1st AGM – 3rd / 10 / 1994
Newly elected President, then Mr. R. Ramalingam Pillai and the late Mr. R. Muruganthan (on the right )
In the first meeting, about 50 restaurant operators attended and discussed the urgent need of an Association for this Industry. A Protem Committee was set up to form a Registered Body, and all those who attended, decided to name it as ‘KUALA LUMPUR & SELANGOR INDIAN RESTAURANT OWNERS ASSOCIATION'. The Association was initially established and registered as ‘Persatuan Pengusaha Restoran India Kuala Lumpur and Selangor' (Kuala Lumpur and Selangor Indian Restaurant Owners Association). The committee was lead by a “rising star of the food Industry”, then Mr. Doraisingm Pillai (now Dato') of Lotus Family Restaurant at No. 15, Jalan Gasing, Petaling Jaya, Selangor Darul Ehsan.
Under his protem leadership, on the 3rd October 1994, the Kuala Lumpur Indian Restaurant Owners' Association successfully had its First AGM at Dewan Re Ko Rasu, Jalan Masjid India Kuala Lumpur and about 65 Restaurant operators attend the meeting and it was officiated by Yg Bhg. Dato' V. K. K. Teagarajan, then the President of KLSICCI.
In that meeting, a new committee was elected to lead the members and YBhg. Dato' R. Doraisingam Pillai's brother, YBhg. Dato' R. Ramalingam Pillai of Lotus Family Restaurant Sdn. Bhd. was unanimously elected to become the President of KL SELANGOR Restaurant Owners' Association. He was assisted by the late MR. R. MURUGANTHAN Of Deepam Curry House as the Vice President and Mr. T. Muthusamy was nominated as the Association's Hon. Secretary.
During this period Industry started to feel the difficulty of getting local workers. And foreign workers started to filling the gap in many sectors like construction and plantation. Many operators had to admit illegal work force to work in their restaurants. The establishment was initiated and mooted principally to address various issues and problems concerning the Indian restaurant operators, particularly the labour shortage and the employment of foreign workers in the restaurant industry.
Besides that the association would be able to provide a platform for the Indian restaurant owners to stand unite and co-operate with each other in all matters relating to the industry as a whole including arranging and holding discussion with various government authorities to resolve issues at hand.
Our KUALA LUMPUR & SELANGOR INDIAN RESTAURANT OWNER ASSOCIATION was officially registered in Year 1994. On 2nd October 1995, the committee successfully had a grand Annual General Meeting at Nethaji Hall at Bangunan MIC and our beloved YBhg. Dato' Seri S. Samy Vellu (pic right) officially launched our AGM.
During the 2nd Annual General Meeting held on 2nd October 1995, the members unanimously voted to form “Persatuan Pengusaha Restoran India Malaysia”- PRIMAS (Malaysian Indian Restaurant Owners' Association). The proposed association undoubtedly could represent the Indian restaurant owners in all states in Malaysia as previously membership was restricted to Indian restaurant owners in Kuala Lumpur and Selangor only.
On 7th July 1997, PRIMAS was registered with the Registrar of Societies as national organisation and assumed all the functions of “Persatuan Pengusaha Restoran India Kuala Lumpur and Selangor” which officially ceased to exist on 3rd March 1998.
Since its inception, PRIMAS has been very active in membership drive that has given a positive result and this is evident from the tremendous increase of our membership every year. In 1998, we only had a total of 298 members and this membership drive have increased and grown over the years to about 1,550 members as at December 2010 who own 2890 restaurants.
Our membership is open to all Indian restaurant owners who are operating in all states in Malaysia and the working Committee of PRIMAS have taken various steps to recruit new members having regional meetings and dialogue session. PRIMAS has taken the appropriate measures to encourage more Indian restaurant operators nation-wide in Malaysia to become our members and further to actively get involved in all activities happening in PRIMAS.