‘People said I have no empathy’: Khairul Aming breaks silence on why Rembayung counts babies as diners (VIDEO)

KUALA LUMPUR, June 22 — Khairul Aming has finally broken his silence over one of Rembayung’s most hotly debated rules after a viral complaint accused the restaurant of lacking empathy for counting even babies as one diner.

The entrepreneur and content creator took to social media to explain why the restaurant insists every baby and child be included in the total pax count, saying the policy wasn’t created to make life difficult for parents but was introduced after months of real-world problems inside the packed eatery.

The controversy erupted after a customer claimed their family was denied entry because their booking was made for four adults and a seven-month-old baby — with the infant counted as an additional guest.

The complaint quickly spread online, with some branding Rembayung’s SOPs “more complicated than a Michelin-starred restaurant’s” and accusing Khairul Aming of having little sympathy for families with young children.

Instead of staying quiet, Khairul Aming said he read more than 1,000 comments before deciding to set the record straight.

“Some said our SOP is more complicated than a Michelin-starred restaurant’s. Others said I don’t compromise with customers at all and have no empathy,” he said.

But according to him, there’s more to the story than simply counting babies.

When Rembayung first opened, babies who were being carried by their parents weren’t included in the headcount. That changed when families began arriving with strollers, many carrying sleeping infants.

Khairul Aming explained that every table is laid out with walkways on all sides so staff can safely move through the restaurant carrying piping hot food and drinks in glass cups.

If a stroller blocks those routes, he said, it creates a safety hazard for diners and employees alike.

By counting babies as a pax, the restaurant can remove an adult chair to make room for a stroller or baby chair without cramping the dining area.

He also pushed back against suggestions that only babies in arms should be exempt.

The restaurant had tried that before, he said, only to have customers carrying children as old as six throughout their meals.

Children, he added, can be unpredictable and may accidentally knock over hot dishes or shatter glassware, making it difficult to create different rules based on age.

Khairul Aming also explained why simply squeezing a baby chair onto the side of a fully occupied table isn’t always an option.

While food spills are expected with young children, he said Rembayung also has to consider neighbouring diners who may be celebrating birthdays, anniversaries or other special occasions.

The policy, he said, was further shaped by an earlier viral incident.

He recalled a family who decided one parent would stay outside with their baby while the rest dined inside. Although the arrangement was the family’s own choice, a Threads post later accused Rembayung of leaving a baby outside in the heat while the parents took turns looking after the child.

After that episode, the restaurant updated its booking rules following Hari Raya Aidilfitri, making it compulsory for all babies and children — regardless of age — to be counted as part of every reservation.

Khairul Aming said making exceptions for one family would only open the door for others to demand the same treatment.

“In the end, people will ask why one customer was allowed but another wasn’t,” he explained, adding that every interaction at Rembayung can be filmed and uploaded to social media within minutes.

Rembayung now serves around 1,000 diners a day and is often fully booked more than two weeks in advance.

While standing firmly behind the policy, Khairul Aming apologised to anyone who felt put off by the rule, saying it was never introduced arbitrarily but was designed to keep the restaurant running safely and fairly for everyone.