12/02/2025

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WEDNESDAY | FEB 12, 2025

ON TWITTER Malaysian Paper

@thesundaily

Sky gazing hobby thrills

KUALA LUMPUR: Despite the scorching sun at the Anjung Spotter Observation Deck in KL International Airport (KLIA), a group of photographers wait patiently to capture the perfect shot of aircraft. They are always poised, ready to press the shutter release button to snap photos of airplanes landing or taking off, either for their personal collection or to share with aviation enthusiasts worldwide. Wedding pixman Hairol Hanim Harun, 50, discovered his passion for photographing the “iron birds”, commonly known as “plane spotting”, three years ago after being introduced to it by a friend. “At first, I simply followed other plane spotters because I have a digital single lens reflex camera. I would capture any aircraft in sight, select the best shots, edit o ‘Plane spotters’ eagerly spend time and money to capture perfect shot of aircraft in mid-flight at KLIA

his wife, Maznah Abu Bakar, 43, resolve an issue with the land title, which is under Maznah’s brother’s name. It must be transferred to Maznah before construction can begin. “We will assist in expediting the process,”he said after visiting Jani’s home in Kampung Darat, Batu Rakit on Sunday. Mohd Hasbie said Terengganu PH will provide immediate assistance of RM10,000 in the form of essential items such as fans and a refrigerator, as well as urgent home repairs, including fixing walls and doors. The aid will also cover the provision of water supply, as his family currently has to rely on a nearby mosque, neighbours and rainwater. The plight of Jani, 62, who was born them and share them on social media. “Over time, I grew closer to the community and they taught me about aircraft models, sizes, technology and flight operations. There’s an unmatched satisfaction in capturing the perfect angle of an aircraft, especially a rare one.” Hairol, a father of three, said he spends at least two days a week at Anjung Spotter, adding that plane spotting is more thrilling than his job as a wedding lensman. Because of that, he said he does not mind spending hours at the observation deck, despite the 50km distance he has to travel from his home in Telok Penglima Garang. “This hobby requires patience and skill, whereas wedding photography is more about human interaction. Not all aircraft arrive on time, some get delayed because of weather conditions. To get the perfect shot is tricky. At weddings, there is proper lighting but in plane spotting, we rely entirely on natural conditions.” He added that to track aircraft schedules and types, he uses the Flight Radar 24 app, Bernama reported. Hairol, who is active on TikTok, takes his hobby seriously, investing over RM80,000 of his savings to upgrade his camera accessories, including the body and telephoto lenses, in order to snap

with a disability in his right leg, was recently widely shared on social media after it was revealed that due to financial hardship, he had to feed his wife and three children, aged two to eight, with expired food thrown out by supermarkets. Earning around RM200 a month by collecting and selling empty bottles, scrap metal and plastic, Jani and his family live in a makeshift plywood house. State Angkatan Muda Keadilan chief Md Asyraf Zulfadhly Md Zainudin said the youth wing will adopt the family as part of its welfare programme to support the couple’s two school-going sons, Muhammad Aqil Azhari, eight, and Muhammad Syahrin Izzudin, seven. – Bernama high-quality images. “In wedding photography, we use short or prime lenses and we move around to follow the subject. But as a plane spotter, we need a zoom lens because the aircraft moves fast while we remain stationary,” he said. For firefighter Muhammad Abdul Hafiz Asmi, 39, plane spotting is a childhood dream, as he is able to see airplanes up close. He said working at KLIA gives him an advantage, as he has access to areas that external plane spotters cannot enter. “The views I get are much clearer than those from outside. I can capture angles that external spotters can’t, but I must follow rules, such as wearing a safety vest when near a parked aircraft and avoiding restricted areas.” Another plane spotter, Abdul Hafiz from Terengganu, said he is fascinated by the uniqueness of each aircraft, and capturing shots of rare models or special liveries is a thrilling experience. “Some of the rare aircraft I’ve photographed include the McDonnell Douglas MD-11, which is the last cargo plane of a renowned courier company that landed at KLIA in 2010, and the Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker in August last year,” he said.

Lifeline for destitute family KUALA NERUS: Jani Yusof, a person with disability, will soon have a more comfortable home for his wife and three children, with assistance from the Terengganu development office under the Prime Minister’s Department Implementation Coordination Unit.

State Pakatan Harapan (PH) chairman Mohd Hasbie Muda said he has spoken to the unit state director Abdul Kahar Abdul Latif to expedite the construction of a new house on the site of Jani’s current dilapidated wooden home. “The unit assists in building new houses or repairing damaged ones, especially for those registered under e Kasih. We have verified that this family is an e-Kasih recipient. “However, we need to help Jani and

Hairol says he takes his hobby seriously, and has invested RM80,000 of his savings to upgrade his camera accessories. – BERNAMAPIC

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