By Anne Das
The PWW Book & Café Corner officially opened last Friday at the Perak Turf Club Equestrian Centre, bringing fresh energy, homemade flavours, and a big dose of women-led energy to this serene corner of Ipoh.
A collaboration between Perak Turf Club (PTC) and the Perak Women for Women Society (PWW), this weekend café is now run by women trained through PWW’s Baking Studio. Their central kitchen in Buntong keeps the team ready with prep, while PTC has generously offered the tranquil space to bring the idea to life.
Almost 100 guests turned up for the launch, a mix of longtime supporters, donors, volunteers, and community friends. The menu was rich with familiar, comforting dishes passed down through generations: nasi lemak with sambal, fried mee hoon, curry chicken, chappatis, banana cake, cupcakes, and the standout bombolonis.
Each guest left with a handmade 3D jelly cake, both a thank you and a quiet show of skill.
PWW President Ms Sumathi Sivamany, who leads by example and continues to upskill herself through baking classes to better support and inspire the women she works with, officiated the launch alongside Dato’ John Lim, Chairman of the Perak Turf Club.
The morning was filled with laughter, storytelling, and quiet pride as the women behind the counter finally stepped into the spotlight.
Liza Zainuddin, a PWW member and team lead for the café, shared “We’ve trained and worked hard behind the scenes for months. Now the women are finally getting to run something of their own. It’s a starting point for many of them to stand on their own feet.”
Among the team are several women who’ve transitioned from baking indoors to welcoming the public in a calm, open-air environment. “We’ve always been baking behind the scenes. Now we get to see people enjoy what we’ve made. That means everything,” said one team member.
The café is open every Saturday and Sunday (except Ipoh On-Course Race Days) from 8:30am to 1pm, located inside the equestrian grounds, where horses graze, birds call, and the pace slows down. It’s a place to enjoy breakfast, support women, and linger longer.
There are also a few quiet book corners on site, ideal for reading, relaxing, and escaping into something that isn’t your to-do list. PWW welcomes gently-used donations to grow the collection: fiction, magazines, and coffee table reads are especially appreciated.
Everything you spend here, every plate of nasi lemak, every slice of banana cake, goes directly back to the women running the show. It’s not charity. It’s empowerment, earned through grit and flour.
PWW Book & Café Corner
📍 Perak Turf Club Equestrian Centre : No 18, Jalan Kelab Golf, 30350 Ipoh
🕒 Open: Saturdays & Sundays, 8:30am to 1pm ( Closed on Race Days)
📞 Contact (Private Events & Catering): +60 12-457 9360 (Liza)
📲 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PerakWomenforWomen
