KOTA BHARU, Dec 31 — Wan Hashim Wan Mahmood, 75, better known as Pak Wan, is setting his sights on creating an eighth cycling record in The Malaysia Book of Records (MBOR), in Perth, Australia next year.

Pak Wan said Perth was his destination of choice due to a previous visit in 2014 where he spent three months there and found the road facilities for cycling very pleasant apart from the tourist-friendly Aussies.

“The mission is expected to be achieved early next year or in mid-year which will take around 60 days, and I also plan to do it with a friend if I can afford a sponsor.

“I will start the cycling mission as soon as I arrive at the airport there,” he told reporters at the Kota Darulnaim Complex here today, after completing his solo cycling tour yesterday covering Peninsular Malaysia over 2,317 km in a month, thus setting his seventh MBOR record.

Pak Wan was welcomed on arrival by State Youth, Sports and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGO) Committee chairman Wan Roslan Wan Hamat and Kelantan Darul Naim Media Club (KEMUDI) president Shahnun Hanif Abdullah Suhaimi.

The father of six also recalled his adventure en route to completing his seventh mission, notably his brush with monkeys as big as bears, as well as the lashing wind and rain of the monsoon season.

Pak Wan set his first MBOR record in 2014 which recognised him as the “Oldest Cyclist to Cycle around Peninsular Malaysia” for cycling solo over 2,200 km.

Meanwhile, Wan Roslan said the state government intended to appoint Wan Hashim as a strategic partner for the 22nd Malaysian Games (Sukma) in 2026 which will be hosted by Kelantan.

“We will propose this matter through the secretariat which will start next year, apart from the state government which has also approved RM2 million for the Sukma secretariat,” he said.

Source: BERNAMA News Agency