Today, most of Heidizaini’s time is spent on his metal detector business, and maintaining a network of agents in different states who direct purchase requests to him.

e the Threat of State Seizure, Metal Detecting Remains a Popular Hobby in Malaysia

Heidizaini's passion for metal detecting began at a young age, sparked by his father's stories of finding valuable coins while clearing land for rubber plantations.

Heidizaini's passion for metal detecting began at a young age, sparked by his father's stories of finding valuable coins while clearing land for rubber plantations.

Now, he spends most of his time running his metal detector business and managing a network of agents in different states who forward purchase requests to him.

“We have our own shop now, so we rarely go hunting. We want to focus on our customers and try to share our knowledge with them, so that they can succeed too.”

As with many other hobbies, success in metal hunting does not come easy.

“You could be out in the sun or rain, and you might not sleep comfortably if you decide to camp. This is not your typical office job,” Heidizaini warned.

“You could be out in the sun or rain, and you might not sleep comfortably if you decide to camp. This is not your typical office job,” Heidizaini warned.

Afis Firdaus, who has been metal hunting for about three years, said the hobby also requires quite a bit of travel, as some of the hunting hotspots might be far from home.

“Sometimes, you dig really deep and what comes out is just tin,” the 33-year-old said, explaining that gold and tin give similar readings on a metal detector.