World’s oldest gov’t head rides bike, feels 'vibrant'

By Riyaz ul Khaliq

ANKARA - World’s oldest serving government head and Prime Minister of Malaysia Mahathir Mohamad took everyone by surprise when he went around a city in Kuala Lumpur on a bicycle ride.

Mahathir, who celebrated his 94th birthday last month, led a group of youth cyclists early Saturday around the Putrajaya from where he runs the government.

"This [Saturday] morning we had the chance to bike almost 11km. Thank God, it feels fresh and vibrant," Mahathir posted on his social media accounts.

A 23-second long video of the event showed Mahathir wearing the athletes’ gear and riding a red bicycle and traveling through parks around a lake.

Mahathir, who is also founder of Malaysia’s first car Patron, generated enthusiasm on social media for his bicycling. The Twitter video of Mahathir riding bicycle was retweeted more than 12,000 times.

"Proud to do the same in NY [New York] Tun! Keeping fit like you. And Im [I am] only 31," wrote a Malaysian user from New York city in U.S.

A Facebook user reacting to Mahathir’s bicycle ride said: "Wow...incredible..at age of 94."

The nonagenarian premier returned to power in 2018 and is heading a coalition government in Malaysia aiming to fix the economy of his country. He is the world's longest-serving elected Muslim politician.

On the occasion of his 94th birthday last month, Mahathir said: "My birthday wish is very simple - that I can finish my work setting Malaysia on the road of recovery. It is a privilege and honour to serve this country."

Born on December 20, 1925, in Alor Setar, Malaysia’s northern state of Kedah, Mahathir studied and practiced medicine before jumping into politics in late 1950s.

He married Siti Hasmah in 1956 and the two have seven children -- four biological and three adopted.