WHAT began as a simple fascination with aircraft more than two decades ago has grown into a lifelong passion for 90-year-old origami aircraft creator Ee Choo Teck, who has designed over 600 unique paper aircraft models and inspired people across the country.
Born in 1936, the retired teacher said his interest in paper aircraft started in 1999 while he was staying in Singapore to help care for his grandchildren.
During his stay, he visited an aircraft exhibition organised by Singapore’s Ministry of Education and became fascinated by the various aircraft designs on display.
“When I first saw the aircraft exhibition, I was fascinated. After I returned home, I kept trying and experimenting with paper aircraft designs until I eventually created my own models,” he said during an interview at Penang Retirement Resort recently.
Ee, who hails from Yong Peng, Johor, moved to Penang at the age of 65 and worked as a temporary teacher at SJK(C) Kwang Hwa, where he introduced paper aircraft making to his students.
“My colleagues told me I should sell them, but I said no. To me, they were just toys and I didn’t think they had any commercial value,” he recalled.
However, he later agreed to contribute his creations to charity sales.
“Later, my colleagues persuaded me to contribute the paper aircraft to charity sales. The response was encouraging and before long, schools started inviting me to conduct workshops,” he said.
The growing interest soon attracted media attention, with newspapers and other media organisations featuring his work.
After leaving SJK(C) Kwang Hwa, Ee continued teaching at several schools, including Chung Ling High School, while sharing his paper aircraft-making skills with students and teachers.
He retired from teaching at the age of 70 and began participating in cultural activities and community events, including the former Upper Penang Road Cultural Market.
Over the next 18 years, he regularly showcased his creations at cultural fairs, festive celebrations and heritage programmes.
Ee later operated a stall in Armenian Street, where his paper aircraft became popular among local visitors and foreign tourists.
“Tourists from Hong Kong, Taiwan, China, Australia, the United States and Europe would stop by my stall. Many bought the aircraft as souvenirs while others recorded videos so they could learn how to make them later,” he said.
One of his most memorable experiences involved a Thai tourist who developed a keen interest in the craft.
“One Thai tourist liked my paper aircraft so much that he stayed in Penang for another two days and came to my house to learn. Later, his family invited me to Thailand to teach students and teachers at a school there,” said Ee.
Over the years, his designs evolved from simple paper planes into detailed aircraft models inspired by real aircraft.
He estimates that he has created more than 600 different designs.
His work has also been featured in exhibitions and charity events, including one at the Penang International Trade and Exhibition Centre, where proceeds were donated to a school for children with disabilities.
Ee also participated in exhibitions in Singapore and Thailand, helping to introduce his craft to wider audiences.
Today, he no longer conducts formal classes but continues to share his skills with anyone interested in learning.
After moving into a senior citizens’ home at the age of 88, he taught several fellow residents, including two pilots who later gifted the paper aircraft to passengers.
Despite discarding most of his earlier works when he relocated to the home, Ee continues creating new designs.
“These are not ordinary paper planes. Children may see them as toys, but I see them as decorative art pieces. Some can still fly, but they are meant to be displayed and appreciated,” he said.
His earliest design, he recalled, was made from a single sheet of A4 paper, while some of his later models use several sheets combined to create more intricate aircraft structures.
“I never imagined this hobby would become such a big part of my life. At my age, being able to create something new and bring joy to others is already an achievement,” he said.
More than two decades after folding his first paper aircraft, Ee remains dedicated to a craft that has become a defining part of his life.
Story by Edmund Lee
Pix by Law Suun Ting