Nonagenarian Fu Chee Cheng continues to drive, play golf and keep active, embracing what he calls his 'bonus years'.
At 92, he still drives himself around, shops for groceries, attends social gatherings, and plays regular rounds of golf. Daily walks are part of his routine, as is time spent with friends who have shared decades of memories with him.
Known affectionately as “Fuch” – formed from his name – he carries himself with the quiet confidence of someone who has spent a lifetime in motion.
“At my age and stage, I am blessed to enjoy good health, am mobile without any walking aid, and am surrounded by a few good friends to keep me company.
“Attending social gatherings keeps my mind intact. Of course, my loving wife, Thio Ai Koean, is a pillar of strength who assists me with day-to-day chores,” he said.
He enjoys golfing at The Club in Bukit Utama, Selangor with a close-knit group of friends – most of them in their 70s and 80s. For Fu, the game is as much about companionship as it is about staying active.
In his younger years, he was an avid marathon runner, sailor, hiker and long-time member of the Hash House Harriers, completing more than 1,000 runs with the group across the world.
He also played a key role in establishing the Hash Heritage House in Taman Tun Dr Ismail, Kuala Lumpur in 2001.
Marathons took him across continents, including races in New York, Honolulu and Paris.
“My first marathon was in Surrey, England at age 51,” he shared, adding that he also served as a torchbearer during the Kuala Lumpur leg of the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
Sailing was another passion: he once owned a yacht named “On-On”, which raced from Phuket to Pangkor.
This love for boating was instilled at a young age. Growing up in Kemaman, Terengganu, Fu would often watch his father operate a propeller-driven sampan along the shallow river to Kemasik.
He later attended Sultan Sulaiman School in Kuala Terengganu before completing his Overseas Senior Cambridge Certificate at Penang Free School.
‘A fascinating journey’
At 18, he was accepted for officer cadet training – a “chance of a lifetime to be among the 24 pioneer army officers of a fledging pre-independent Malaya”.
“Unfortunately, my mother objected and I, thereafter, accepted a Shell scholarship to pursue mechanical engineering in England,” he revealed.
This decision would lead him to become the first Malayan to graduate in mechanical engineering from Loughborough College in 1955.
As a young Shell executive, he was thrilled to return home from England in August 1957 to witness Malaya declaring independence.
“I flew in the newly introduced British Overseas Airways’ four-engine turbo-prop Bristol 175 Britannia airliner, nicknamed the ‘Whispering Giant’ for its quiet, smooth flight. It was a fascinating journey.”
In the early 1980s, at age 48, Fu moved into the corporate world, taking on a role as chief executive of Multi-Purpose Holdings in London.
At one point during this period, he was holidaying at Mont-Saint-Michel in Normandy when he found himself in the middle of a frightening incident.
“A woman was wading by the beachside with her baby when a sudden, strong wave knocked the child out of her grasp.
“She screamed for help and, as I was swimming nearby, I quickly rescued the baby. She and her family later invited me to their holiday villa for a grand celebration!”
Fu managed to turn Multi-Purpose Holdings around and, after five years, returned to Kuala Lumpur to venture into his own business.
Today, his days are quieter but no less fulfilling. Born on Jan 1, 1934, he celebrates both the New Year and his birthday on the same day.
“I certainly look forward to my birthday each year, knowing well that there are not many living their ‘bonus’ years as a nonagenarian,” he said cheerfully. - FMT
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