Pak Wan succeeds in his Merdeka cycling mission

KOTA BHARU, Aug 31 -- Septuagenarian cyclist Wan Hashim Wan Mahmood, 74, arrived safely at his home earlier today here after completing the 23-day 2020 Merdeka Solo Cycling mission.

Wan Hashim who embarked on the cycling mission on Aug 8, reached his home in Telipot here and was greeted by his family members, Kelantan Red One Network branch sales manager Daniel Leoh and Malaysia Book of Records representative Wan Taqwa Wan Nazi.

With this success, Wan Hashim, fondly known as Pak Wan, is the oldest man in the country who has cycled around Peninsular Malaysia six times.

Commenting on the mission, Pak Wan told reporters when met at his home, that the most challenging part in his mission was when he decided to cycle through the Titiwangsa Range in just a day, instead of the usual two days.

He said that he started cycling at 7 am and completed the 80-kilometre stretch at 6 pm on the same day.

“This is also a challenge for young people because, at this age, I managed to do solo cycling,” he said, adding that young people should delve into the meaning of independence and further build the nation using their abilities.

Pak Wan set the MBOR record for the first time in 2014 as the oldest man to successfully cycle solo the 2,200 km around the Peninsula.

His furthest trip was a five-nation solo tour of Southeast Asia when he cycled 5,319 km in 49 days.

-- BERNAMA