From an engineer who couldn't afford his father's medicine — to the man behind Malaysia's fastest-selling sambal.
Khairul Amin bin Kamarulzaman is a Malaysian digital content creator, entrepreneur and the founder of Sambal Nyet Berapi. He first broke through in 2018 with simple cooking videos on Instagram and Twitter — filmed casually, but shot beautifully.
His annual “30 Hari 30 Resipi” Ramadan series became a household ritual for Malaysian families preparing buka puasa and sahur, racking up millions of views and cementing his place as one of the country's most trusted food voices.
“I was nobody. My father is gone, and he didn't even have a pension. Before he died, I had no money. I couldn't even buy his medicine. When he asked for RM50, I couldn't give it to him.” — Khairul Aming
A timeline of the failures, gambles and record-breaking launches that built the empire.
Works as a Rotating & Piping Engineer at PETRONAS, then pivots into logistics to master global business and supply chain management. His first venture — “Sambal King” under the RasaPop brand — fails.
Starts uploading simple cooking videos and food tutorials on Instagram and Twitter. The casual style and appealing cinematography spread quickly across TikTok and YouTube.
His father, Kamarulzaman Hussin, passes away on 29 March — before Sambal Nyet is ever launched. At 28, Khairul resigns from engineering to commit full-time to content creation.
The first 10,000 bottles sell out in 50 minutes. The brand hits RM1 million in sales within three months. He pours almost all his savings into a first factory in Kelantan, employing 30 locals.
By August, he has sold a million bottles and earned RM14 million — opening a second factory. Rather than buying luxury cars, he reinvests everything, leaving only RM1,000 in savings.
Wins Creator of the Year at the TikTok Awards Malaysia — recognition of his influence far beyond cooking.
Launches spiced beef jerky in February. 80,000 units and RM1.2 million in revenue — in under four minutes.
His first meat-based instant food hits RM1.8 million in under two minutes (100,000 packets). He is entered into the Malaysia Book of Records for the fastest RM1 million in a TikTok Shop livestream — 19 seconds.
Opens Rembayung, a 250-diner restaurant in Kampung Baru (RM4 million investment). Launches Sambal Nyet Bilis from the peak of Merdeka 118 — 150,000 jars gone in 1m 51s and RM3.5 million in a single livestream.
Every launch has broken its own record. Six months of R&D, real supply chains, and a fanbase that shows up in seconds.
The one that started it all. A fiery, versatile chilli paste that turned a home recipe into a national staple.
Spiced beef jerky with the signature Nyet heat. A bold step from sauces into solid food.
His first meat-based instant food — slow-cooked rendang made for real life, real fast.
Developed over six months of R&D — including going out to sea with fishermen in Setiu, Terengganu, to understand the anchovy catch firsthand.
A 250-diner, 8,000 sq ft restaurant in Kampung Baru, nine minutes from KLCC — built to bring a “kampung atmosphere” to the city.
A running tally of milestones, awards and record-breaking livestreams.
Creator of the Year — TikTok Awards Malaysia
Recognition of his influence across food, commerce and culture.Malaysia Book of Records: fastest to RM1 million in a TikTok Shop livestream
Achieved in just 19 seconds.Successful Entrepreneur / Technocrat Award — Maulidur Rasul
Honoured for entrepreneurship and contribution to the community.RM2.3 million in a single day of livestreaming
A 12-hour TikTok Shop session.RM2 million in under 2 minutes
Sambal Nyet Bilis launch from the peak of Merdeka 118.Highest single livestream sales: RM3.5 million
First creator to join TikTok Malaysia's “3 Million Club”.Health, generosity and a refusal to forget where he came from.
Despite an exhausting schedule, he committed to daily gym sessions and disciplined eating — sharing the transformation on Threads to inspire others to prioritise their health.
Groceries and envelopes of RM100 notes for Hari Raya. Factories closed for five days for a staff trip to Penang. Raya bonuses and shopping sprees. His Kelantan factory employs 100 locals, all from the state.
When sales exploded, he didn't buy an expensive car or go on holiday. He put everything back into the business, leaving only RM1,000 in savings at one point.
Called a “capitalist” by some netizens, he replied: “Employees, suppliers, vendors, couriers, customers, national taxes, and zakat collection — everyone benefits. All the knowledge I gain, I pass down to everyone to learn together.”
Nine years in, his measure of success isn't the revenue line: “When I see you happy, cooking with your family, that means the world to me.”
“You are the future leaders of our nation. Keep learning, set ambitious goals, and work hard. Even if you fail, you will learn from it to become better.”
Follow along
From floor-filmed recipe clips to high-production livestreams — he invests over RM100,000 a year into cameras, lighting and studios.
@khairulaming 5.5M+ Instagram
@khairulaming 3.7M+ Threads
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