(From left) Heidizaini and wife Siti Norzehan with members of their metal-detecting team in Morib, Banting. — Photos: Bernama
METAL “hunting” was a hobby Heidizaini Jurami took up less than a decade ago.
Back then, he was working as a handyman and never imagined that his pastime would one day become his main source of income.
“In the first year, I pursued it just for fun but after discovering some valuable (metallic) items, I began to take it more seriously,” Heidizaini, who resides in Sungai Buloh, Selangor, told Bernama.
His wife Siti Norzehan Mohd Yatim also had a hand in convincing him to take up metal detecting.
“She told me about how metal detectors overseas are able to find various items including gold ornaments.
“She persuaded me to pursue this to supplement our income because what I earned as a handyman was just enough for us to get by.”
He saved up and bought a used metal detector costing RM2,000 and with Siti Norzehan, went full-time into it in 2017.
Today, he also runs a business selling equipment related to the activity.
Heidizaini said he and his wife used to watch YouTube videos to learn from like-minded enthusiasts how to correctly use the equipment.
The couple also joined metal-detecting communities on social media to improve their skills.
Heidizaini listening to sounds emitted by a metal detector.
Initially, the pair carried out their activities on beaches around Selangor, such as Morib and Bagan Lalang, but later ventured to other states and even neighbouring countries.
(Beaches are popular spots for “treasure hunters” as many beachgoers tend to lose jewellery and coins among other metallic items.)
“Eventually, income from selling the valuable items we discovered exceeded my earnings as a handyman.
“So, we started going to other states such as Johor, Kelantan, Terengganu, Perlis, Sabah and Sarawak to hunt for metallic items,” he said.
The couple, who has four children, also uploaded videos of their activities on social media, attracting others to get involved in the field.
“Within four years, we managed to establish our own metal-detecting group, which now has over 1,000 members.
“With a bigger team, we can cover larger areas, increasing the chances of finding valuable items.
“Besides gold ornaments, we’ve also discovered items such as old coins,” Heidizaini said, adding that although they worked as a team, the discovered items will belong to the individual who found them.
Heidizaini later bought a metal detector worth thousands of ringgit to detect metal buried up to 1.2m deep.
He and his team have since gone to Krabi (Thailand) and Bali (Indonesia).
However, he noted that metal hunting in foreign countries was not as straightforward as in Malaysia as they needed to obtain permission from the local authorities.
“These areas are popular tourist destinations and the authorities want to ensure that metal-detecting activities do not disrupt visitors.
“In Krabi, we were only allowed to search at night, but our efforts paid off handsomely.
“During our five days there, we found numerous foreign coins and most notably gold ornaments that we sold.
“The money we made was enough to cover our expenses, including flight tickets,” said Heidizaini, recalling the 2018 trip to Krabi being the first time he and his wife travelled abroad by flight.
Siti Norzehan said their children at times join them in their “expeditions”.
“For them, it is an educational outing. For example, when we find coins from the British era, we share the history of colonisation.
“Discoveries of objects linked to the past also inspire us to learn about the history of the locations,” she said, adding that their search sites included riversides.
The most exciting part of any hunt for metallic items, she said, was when the metal detector beeps.
“At that moment, you can’t wait to dig and see what lies beneath.”
Having been in the field for seven years now, Heidizaini and Siti Norzehan consider themselves experts.
They can identify the type of metal detected by the different beeps emitted by the equipment.
“We usually know what’s buried – coins, jewellery or something else,” Heidizaini added.
About five years ago, the couple was surprised to be contacted by a metal detector manufacturer who had been following their activities on social media.
“They invited us to be their sole distributor in Malaysia and Asia,” Heidizaini said, adding that the company helped them open a store in Sungai Buloh.
“Initially, our shop focused on supplying metal detectors.
“Two years ago, we expanded our offerings, turning the store into a one-stop centre with a complete range of equipment for metal detecting, including clothing.
“We don’t just sell equipment but also share our knowledge about the activity, especially with those just getting started,” he added.
