SHAH ALAM - Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned, and right now that woman is Cik Epal.
The Malaysian influencer, whose real name is Murni Mahmud, took to Instagram to reveal a slew of allegations against her ex-husband, Jofliam, whose real name is Jofli Abu Bakar, accusing him of serious financial and ethical misconduct.
Following the end of their ten-year marriage last month, Cik Epal has publicly aired her grievances about Jofliam's business operations and financial dealings, repeatedly tagging authorities to investigate his practices.
Here’s a breakdown of her allegations all detailed in her Instagram stories with direct calls for action by Malaysia’s Inland Revenue Board (IRB).
NOVEMBER
Cik Epal took to Instagram with a series of explosive stories, tagging IRB to investigate Jofliam’s business practices on Nov 8.
Her main allegations targeted his popular pizza business, claiming that it operates entirely on cash transactions, allegedly avoiding taxes and using proxies to handle profits.
She claimed that monthly revenue from the pizza business was approximately RM600,000, accusing Jofliam of misleading the public about the company’s financial performance.
She also highlighted that staff members earn between RM600 and RM1,500 daily to maintain loyalty, raising red flags for her about transparency.
"Claiming the pizza business isn’t profitable? That’s a lie. His pizza sales are incredibly profitable.
"He pays his employees daily wages between RM600 and RM1,500. Imagine why some are willing to stay so loyal to him, because the wages he offers are high.
"They make around 500 pizzas a day. At RM150 per pizza, that’s a daily revenue of RM75,000,” she wrote on her official Instagram story.
According to Cik Epal, Jofliam’s pizza business generates around RM600,000 monthly, amounting to millions annually, all through cash transactions, which she implied might be a strategy to evade taxes.
She openly urged IRB to investigate him and his proxies, whom she identified by name.
Cik Epal also claimed that the success of her ex-husband's pizza business was misleading, as he frequently promoted freebies to attract more buyers but was supposedly profiting substantially from cash-only sales.
With critics questioning her "spilling tea", she said her anger stems from Jofliam's disrespect toward her parents. In her stories, she stated that she had attempted to resolve matters amicably but his continued interference with her family’s well-being prompted her public statements.
"He disrespected my parents through WhatsApp. Messing with my family? That’s where I draw the line.
"I kept quiet and tried to settle things peacefully, but he crossed the line by involving my parents, who have always been forgiving and kind to him. My ex really needs to be taught a lesson,” she said, sharing screenshots of text messages.
Cik Epal also alleged that Jofliam’s previous involvement in forex trading was untrustworthy, adding that his main income now was purely from the pizza business.
She said Jofliam had been using his earnings from the business to create an illusion of financial success, even referring to the pizza business as his only fallback if his other ventures failed.
Previously, Jofliam had attempted to downplay rumours surrounding their separation but Cik Epal’s recent stories suggested deep-seated frustrations and claims of dishonesty on his part.
She described her stance as a decision to stand up for the truth, repeatedly stating she would not back down and encouraging authorities to act on her claims.
As her stories circulated online, they ignited a public discourse, with many viewers following the unfolding drama with keen interest.
These revelations offer a stark view into the fallout from Cik Epal’s marriage and her previous stance against what she perceives as financial and ethical wrongdoings in her ex-husband’s business practices. However, Cik Epal stated that throughout their marriage, she had repeatedly reminded her ex-husband to handle matters properly.
"Throughout our marriage, I reminded him many times to pay the pizza tax, set up the employees' EPF (social security contributions), and stop the shady forex dealings.
"However, he would always say, 'Don’t interfere in my business'," she said.
OCTOBER
Cik Epal and Jofliam's relationship, which spanned a decade, came to an end on Oct 9 this year.
The couple, who married on June 1, 2014, shares two children, Han and Yuki. The divorce followed a series of tensions in their relationship, which had intensified over several months.
Jofliam, a figure in the food business, attributed the breakdown to a mix of personal and professional issues. The controversy surrounding the situation began when Jofliam was accused of infidelity, particularly involving his employee, Dewi, which led to misunderstandings and mistrust between the couple.