Month: April 2019

What a journey it has been! I started Humans of Kuala Lumpur 4 years ago (we were first among the many that you see today), and when I first started I spent what money I got doing part-time jobs to my first camera and portrait lens. I started alone, I didn’t have a team of photographers, and lived far from KL, so I could only take pictures on the weekends. I remember how getting 5 likes was a challenge, 20 likes was an achievement, and still remember the first time HOKL received 200 likes!

Why did I start HOKL? I knew I was passionate about photography when I took photography classes during high school (we used film SLRs, and had to process our own films in the darkroom!) – but more than that, I wanted to know the people who lived in my city, the people who breathe and live and make up what KL is today. I lived abroad the majority of my life, and I wanted to find out about your stories, document it for future generations, and most importantly, find and highlight a social cause and truth that others are not aware of. To shine a light where there is darkness. 

Humans of KL, above all, also pushed me to become a real-life photojournalist as my full time job and finally start my own Vintook Photography company. 

And one thing I have realized is that no project, even as simple as Humans of KL, is a one man show. It never is. 

Down the road, I have encountered numerous individuals that I am personally thankful to have met – the people who are as much a part of HOKL and owns it as much as I do. These are the people:

Aairenee Zarina Yazli – Thank you so much for being HOKL’s first photographer’s assistant. I still remember how passionate you were about photography, how you wanted to learn, and the times we went out on weekends, trying to interview people at random places when others were out having fun. Taking photos and getting stories with you was fun and thank you for asking me one question that, until today, had such a deep impact in how I look for people to take photographs. You mentioned to me: “How do you tell if one person is more unique than the other, when everyone is trying to be different?” Back then I thought people tried to fit in, to be like the rest, and not to be different. Your ideas made me search for the unique inside all of us people. 

Tabinda Mumtaz Sultan Shah – There was a long period of time when HOKL was inactive – and a very consistent and determined young photographer always messaged HOKL sending in her stories. HOKL was also the first to show photos from contributors, but Tabinda ended up becoming part of the team! Tabinda put back the belief in me that HOKL was doing something MEANINGFUL, that people had personal and touching stories we had to uncover, that others needed to know. And that we must not give up. No matter how basic our equipment was, how many people were running the page (us two) compared with others who had a team, or how much experience we have. She also handled the admin side of the page, and until today your one photo of the lady growing up with many children is still the most liked and shared photo ever! Sad to see you go to Canada to further your studies – but do know you are always a part of HOKL. And if any of you Malaysians did get to be photographed by a young lady, with frizzled hair and a red Nikon camera… that is most definitely Tabinda right there. 

Nazreen Bin Mohamad – Thank you for being our social media strategist/growth hacker. You outlined how we can get more coverage, how we can increase our ‘likes’ – you helped me with finding out the best way to tell the stories of people I encountered – it forced me to look deep, and improve. And we did improve, thanks to your analysis. Always a great storyteller yourself!

Najmie Naharuddin – Thank you Najmie for refreshing my knowledge back in photography, and to see how the pros do go out and take photos. Thank you for HUGELY helping me out how to edit photos, and on your advice on camera equipment and lenses! Also a special thanks to Azman Karib Ibrahim who takes amazing portraits and has advised me on many a photography question. 

Jeany Amir – Jeany impressed me with how focused she was taking a video – back when I was taking photos at the Keretapi Sarong event for HOKL. We remained in touch and I realized that Jeany was a pro, also having taken photos for National Geographic back then and now doing her own video commercials! Even though she did not know I was doing HOKL, she showed me what it was like to do professional photo shoots and video shoots with clients when I joined her in some of her projects. Thank you! (PS – You still owe me a story!)

And most of all, I have to thank Ian Chew, the original founder of the amazing project Humans of Sackville – because it was through you back when we were working together that I knew about Humans Of… Your work is purely amazing, your readership is huge – and I’m impressed with the fact that you have even given your own TEDx talk! 

I also want to give a special shout out to my best buddy Mustaqim Malek, who has been there for me ever since the beginning. 

There’s many more people I have to thank for, and I am. But on the whole these people had the biggest impact thus far.

Thank you all for your strengths, encouragements, and time that has made this page what it is today. We started something great, and lets make it even greater! And thank you to all Malaysians and fans of Humans of KL – it is because of you guys that we have this project. 

There are 1.7 million ‘Kuala Lumpurians’ – and Humans of Kuala Lumpur aims to take every, single, 1.7 million photos and AMAZING stories of you all! 

Get ready to smile!

Photostory by Mushamir Mustafa

Do you have a story? Let us know here: https://forms.gle/ht4HsvbxgSgcKS5h8

(This post was first published on May 2nd 2016)

‘It changed my life because I realize I have this patience and confidence in me – and that I can be strong, and can really fight for what I really want.

‘So how did you deal with your bullying situation?’ 

‘I didn’t take it too personal, I laughed at it. I talked with my family, and my godfather, who influenced my life the most. I was close to my godfather, who passed away already, and told me to never give up and don’t give in. Love ourselves more. And be patient. Never be in the mindset of a victim, because you need get to the level where you are you. Never let others influence your mind. You are better, you are the best, you are really good than you can ever imagine’. 

– Humans of Kuala Lumpur

Photostory by Mushamir Mustafa

Do you have a story? Let us know here: https://forms.gle/ht4HsvbxgSgcKS5h8

(This post was first published on May 3rd 2016)

“How does she welcome you?”

“She’ll bark. And in the morning, she’ll lick me to wake me up.

But she’s growing up too fast.”

– Humans of Kuala Lumpur

Photostory by Mushamir Mustafa

Do you have a story? Let us know here: https://forms.gle/ht4HsvbxgSgcKS5h8

(This post was first published on May 2nd 2016)

“When I’m speaking to my customers, I wanna know who they are, what they want, where they come from. Locals won’t talk to me as much as expats do, so its harder to break that barrier between salesperson and customer.”

– Humans of Kuala Lumpur

Photostory by Mushamir Mustafa

Do you have a story? Let us know here: https://forms.gle/ht4HsvbxgSgcKS5h8

(This post was first published on May 3rd 2016)

“If I’m fearless, I would go to every stranger that I see and tell them that if they are having a bad day, try to think positively – but I’m afraid they might think I’m crazy. If I’m fearless I would choose to go to a new place every single day – but I’m afraid that I have responsibilities and achievements to prove myself. If I’m fearless I would also tell everybody whose afraid of something that fear is the only thing that’s stopping you from essentially being yourself. Because I think people nowadays, they are insecure and fear judgments. They say a lot of things, but at the end of the day its the action that matters and unfortunately before the action even starts its always the fear that precedes first. I suppose its human nature but I believe that’s how we grow as humans, we learn to conquer our fears. So its not a bad thing, but its something that we can learn from.”

– Humans of Kuala Lumpur

Photostory by Mushamir Mustafa

Do you have a story? Let us know here: https://forms.gle/ht4HsvbxgSgcKS5h8

(This post was first published on April 29th 2016)

‘I’m proud of my Indian heritage and besides that I always change my fashion. I usually wear really tight pants, like no balls breathing. And loose clothes too. I love piercings, and my ultimate goal was to do it on my nose, it’s really cool! When I was young my mom was telling my cousin why a lot of Indians have a lot of piercings…and apparently it’s to tame one’s own soul. It’s like this Indian thing. They believe that the more you pierce the more you clear your soul, and it’s related with Thaipusam. And I’m very ‘psycho’ also so I need some taming! And I am proud that I am empowering ‘Macha-ness!’

– Humans of Kuala Lumpur — with Warwhorelian A Warwhorelian.

Photostory by Mushamir Mustafa

Do you have a story? Let us know here: https://forms.gle/ht4HsvbxgSgcKS5h8

(This post was first published on April 15th 2016)

“No one else is here and I get the pool for myself, while they are out eating. I like to keep myself fit, and the entrance fee is just RM6. The only hassle is that I have to get in and out of my ‘Speedos’ every time I come here! “

– Humans of Kuala Lumpur

Photostory by Mushamir Mustafa

Do you have a story? Let us know here: https://forms.gle/ht4HsvbxgSgcKS5h8

(This post was first published on April 8th 2016)

‘I was a ADHD kid, and suffering from it. That time I was quite young and my school teachers never liked me because I was too active, and I gave them so much headaches because I was a troublesome kid. 

‘I didn’t know I had this until I was studying Psychology and I found it by myself. I never went for treatment but it just fixed itself – maybe because I am active and outgoing with people. 

‘I’m not from a rich family and I don’t want to burden my family therefore I choose to work and pay my own school fees. It’s not easy for me as currently I’ve to work, study and prepare for my project (the Asia Pacific Youth Exchange summer program) which will be coming soon, in which I want to deal with education.

I believe that education is everything as it relates with all of the Sustainable Development Goals under the United Nations, and everyone should have the right to study and have adequate education, because without education they are not able to understand, work or change the world. And I will do my best to share my knowledge to the other people, especially in the rural areas.

– Humans of Kuala Lumpur

Photostory by Mushamir Mustafa

Do you have a story? Let us know here: https://forms.gle/ht4HsvbxgSgcKS5h8

(This post was first published on April 7th 2016)

“ These are the assignments that gave a lot of impact in my career and me, personally. I even remember spending a night with the ex-chief of the Communist Party of Malaya (PKM) and, one of the stories that I can never forget was when I interviewed the prisoners who are waiting to be hanged.

“I met up with three male prisoners, one from each race. I got permission to interview them in one day. The Malay guy, who I don’t remember his name now, had already spent seven years in the Kajang prison cell.

“I was afraid – even though he was in the cell and I was interviewing him from outside the cell. His offence was murder. I thought to myself ‘Oh my God, he’s a death row prisoner, waiting for death, and he had killed someone.’

“The prisoner noticed how uncomfortable I was and told me ‘Bang, abang rileks je bang, sebab I tak akan ape-ape kan bang (Bro, just relax bro, because I won’t harm you), and said the longer you interview me, the more you will like me. His statement wasn’t funny, but it made me wonder, why did he say that?

“He told me he had been in the cell for 23 hours and living like that for seven years. So, if I took a part of his time, he would feel relieved to even be able to go out of the area,” because prisoners are only allowed to ‘go out’ for one hour, along the passageway in front of their cells.

“His last words to me were, if given the chance to either be hanged or wait furthermore in prison, he would choose to be hanged. When I asked ‘Why? Don’t you want to live longer?’

‘He told me, you can become a crazy man being inside here. You will go crazy because 23 hours I don’t do anything, just staring at the walls, in a 10×10 cell space – one can go crazy’. 

There was a bit of silence, before he continued:

“He even made his own tattoo on his forearm because he really loved his wife and children. According to the Malay man, in Pahang, his wife did not mean to accidentally kill someone over a misunderstanding with a business transaction, as one of the items were fake.

“So, in the ensuing fight, she accidentally killed the other person. When he got back home, he said because of his love for her, he disposed the body and took responsibility for the killing.

“As they both were driving towards KL, I don’t remember how many days after, but they were stopped at a roadblock and they were caught. In court, he admitted that he was the murderer. He took responsibility – this was based on his story to me.

“He said when he was convicted, his wife promised to be faithful to him, but in the seven years he was in prison, not once did she come to visit him, which is why he made his own tattoo on his underarm because he really loved his children and her.

“It’s a really sad story if it’s true, and he has claimed that he is not lying and not guilty, but has submitted himself to God.”

“The Chinese man I think, was convicted of murder, but I don’t remember much details. But yes, all three men said if they were given the chance to be hanged immediately, they would take it.

“They all could not stand the waiting in prison, as the process goes from the High Court to the Federal Court and then the Sultan. The whole waiting process, it’s just a lot of mental torture for them.

“All three men have gone through the court of appeal but of course they have been unsuccessful.

“The Indian man whom I met goes by the name of ‘Lan’, after converting to Islam fully. He had a Malay girlfriend who worked in a bank, and they both come from Kuala Selangor, Sungai Besar.

“He was a drug dealer who spent a lot of money on his girlfriend and sacrificed a lot for her, even giving her a car. He sold drugs to make money and one day got caught. The punishment is of course, the death sentence.

“His last words to me were, that if I ever went to Sungai Besar, please do go and see his (now ex) girlfriend and give her his salam (regards) and love to her, and it was because of her that he got caught.

“His girlfriend also never visited him. I felt pity for them, especially for the husband who took the fall for his wife, but for the drug dealers, that was their own action and mistake and they knew what they were getting themselves into.

“But I heard that two years after speaking to Lan, I got a call from one of my interns saying that he was released and got a pardon. He said thank you for featuring and portraying me on TV, so he called me the day he got released.

“The other two, I don’t know what happened to them.

“I also managed to meet with the Ustaz who was the religious counsel for Muslims before they go to their end, but has now retired around a decade ago.

“He told me that, for the Muslims, right after they give their last salam in their prayers, two wardens will take them to the execution room.

“Most of them are not able to walk afterwards, nor can they walk because they know they are heading to their death.”

“The ustaz told me that at least, you know your date (of death). Because of that, prisoners become very religious and pray a lot. Unlike most of us out here, we are healthy and say accident happens, but we wouldn’t know when we will die.

“But for them, these special people, maybe they were chosen – because they know they are going to die. They know the time and location of their death when the Director comes and informs them they will be hanged the next day.

“So they are able to pray and focus and atone for their sins. That is the only advantage that they get.”

“They did mention not to do bad things like this to the people outside, look at what happens to them. It’s the law if you commit a crime. They admitted that they were in the wrong, regret for what they did, and if they are to be pardoned, pardon them now, or if they are to hang, hang them now, because of the mental torture. 

“Don’t do bad things, don’t break the law. I feel grateful that we have a normal life compared to them’. 

– Humans of Kuala Lumpur

Photostory by Mushamir Mustafa

Do you have a story? Let us know here: https://forms.gle/ht4HsvbxgSgcKS5h8

(This post was first published on April 6th 2016)