The uninitiated may think of it as a monotonous and dull vocation, but Yong loves his job intensely and would speak passionately about both the art and science of it.

He was just 18 years old when he was apprenticed to his uncle.

“I had just graduated and wasn’t successful in securing a job,” he told FMT Lifestyle. “So, when my uncle told me his shop was looking for an apprentice, I seized the opportunity, not thinking much of it.”

In fact, he didn’t think he would stay in the job for long. In his twenties, he did make a foray into the food industry, but gave it up after a while.

“It was really tiring trying to balance two jobs, but eventually I decided to stick to this one because I liked the sense of accomplishment and the satisfaction I got from being a locksmith.”

He took over the shop when his uncle retired and David Locksmith Enterprise eventually grew into what it is today in Klang, with a branch in Shah Alam.

His services consist of much more than duplicating keys and unlocking doors for customers who have lost their keys. His shops also sell and repair remote controls for electric gates and cars. There’s also a variety of safes and fingerprint door locks on sale.

Yong spoke of the moral dilemma of determining whether a customer is legitimate when he receives a call for his service.

“There’s a rule under the Malaysia Lock Associates under which the customer has to fill in his particulars before we open a lock,” he said. “This usually acts as a deterrent if that person is sketchy.”

There was once a would-be customer who retracted his request after hearing about the information he needed to provide. “Maybe he managed to find his keys, but we must always be vigilant.”

And there are instances in which children are accidentally locked in cars with the keys inside. Yong would usually ask how long it had been or if the engine was running. Depending on the answer, he would gauge if the situation was dire enough to suggest that the owner break the window or wait for him to arrive.

Of course, with technology advancing rapidly, Yong is aware of the need to learn new lock picking skills.

“There are so many different types of high-tech locks and we can’t possibly know them all. So what we can do is learn as we come across them and practise.”

Yong also spoke of a scary incident some years ago.

“A bank called me when it wanted to repossess someone’s house, but when I was opening the door a group of men carrying parangs who knew the owner, started threatening us. Luckily, the front gate was locked and the police arrived soon after.”

Since then, he would always make sure to lock the gates beforehand.

What Yong loves most about his job is the thrill of being able to open a lock, and that sense of excitement hasn’t abated since he first learned the craft.

“I wasn’t that enthusiastic when I first started. I saw it as a regular job. But as time went by, I developed love and passion for it. That’s why I’m still doing it.”

Follow David Locksmith Enterprise on Facebook or head to its official website.

David Locksmith Enterprise
20G, Jalan Gelugor,
Kawasan 17,
41050 Klang, Selangor

Business hours:

• 9.00am-6.00pm (Mondays to Fridays)
• 9.00am-5.00pm (Saturdays)
• Closed on Sundays

Contact: 016-220 7895