Live long and prosper in the fast lane, Mahathir style

 

PETALING JAYA: Bowls of “sang mee” or longevity noodles will be on the menu today as Malaysians celebrate Chinese New Year.

And if there is one person who knows about longevity, it has to be Dr Mahathir Mohamad who, like the Energiser bunny, can go on and on.

In a special interview with FMT, the former prime minister opened up about his blistering weekend drives, and his advice for those who want to live a long, healthy life.

Mahathir said he still drives himself on weekends, and his reputation for being a fast driver is well-earned.

“I have a motorcycle outrider, and they go very fast and overtake all the other vehicles. I have to be quite close to the outrider, so if they go fast, I go fast.”

However, he said the “horrendous” traffic was as burdensome to him as any other Malaysian, leaving him resigned to crawl through gridlock any time he’s without his police escort.

He said the outriders (and the quick pace) help him to remain punctual, something he believes is very important and has made a point to practice.

“Even as a child, I always believed in being on time. I get very agitated if people are waiting for me and I’m not there.

“If I am supposed to arrive there on time, I should arrive there on time.”

‘Weight control is health control’

Asked about his biggest tip to staying healthy, the 96-year-old former physician pointed to diet as a key factor in his longevity.

“I remember there was an automatic weighing machine in Singapore when I was there (as a student), and every time I’d go there and put in one cent to check my weight. On the card, it said that ‘weight control is health control’. So I always stick to that.

“At 20, you can eat a lot and not grow fat, but when you reach 40, when you eat a lot, most of that is converted to fat and you begin to become fat. Sometimes people eat without thinking about the ill-effects of overeating.”

He said this can put unnecessary strain on the heart, as it has to work harder than necessary to keep a larger body functioning.

“But I must admit,” he laughed, “that I did have two heart attacks”. - FMT