20/08/2026

THURSDAY | AUG 20, 2026

6

Taekwondo approach to healthy living

KLANG: At 71, when many may choose to slow down, Leong Yong Wah remains active, regularly stepping onto the mat at his taekwondo academy in Bandar Bukit Tinggi. For Leong, taekwondo is about more than maintaining physical fitness. It is a platform to guide young generations in developing discipline, cultivating respect and fostering unity through sport. Together with his wife, Yeap Swee Bee, 66, the couple demonstrate that age is no barrier to staying active, productive and contributing to society. Their journey embodies the true meaning of wellbeing through a healthy lifestyle and ageing with dignity. Their story reflects the theme of the 2026 National Day and Malaysia Day celebrations, o Sport allows seniors to age with dignity and youth to develop discipline and respect

“Malay, Chinese and Indian students train together in harmony, developing bonds that resemble those of a large family. “During tournaments, they support one another from morning until night. There is no racial divide, as everyone shares the same goal, to learn and become better individuals.” Meanwhile, Yeap, who is also a taekwondo coach and a silver medallist at the 2024 World Poomsae Championships in Hong Kong, said her personal experience had shown how an active lifestyle could have a significant impact on both physical and mental wellbeing. Since the club’s establishment, Leong and Yeap have also helped produce several notable athletes, including Vasugi Maruthamuthu, who won a bronze medal in the taekwondo demonstration event at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. For Leong, such achievements demonstrate that the values instilled on the mat extend far beyond sport. He hopes more adults and senior citizens would take part in physical activities such as taekwondo, saying their participation not only helps maintain their health but also inspires younger generations.

but from seeing former students succeed in life and continue to uphold the values of discipline they learned on the mat. The couple’s experience demonstrates that wellbeing in one’s golden years is not simply about receiving care, but also having opportunities to remain healthy and independent, maintain social connections and continue contributing to the community. Data from the Statistics Department indicates that Selangor had approximately 908,500 residents aged 60 and above in 2025, representing 12.3% of the state’s total population. The figure highlights the importance of creating an environment that enables senior citizens to lead active and dignified lives. Efforts in this direction are supported by various government initiatives, including the Senior Citizens Activity Centre, health screening programmes for the elderly and the RM600 monthly Senior Citizens Assistance for eligible recipients, aimed at helping them remain active within the community. Leong said one of taekwondo’s greatest strengths is its ability to bring together people from different racial backgrounds.

“Malaysia Madani: Kesejahteraan Dinikmati”, highlighting that wellbeing is not merely about access to amenities, but also the opportunity to remain active, maintain social connections and contribute to society regardless of age. For Leong, a Kukkiwon 8th Dan black belt holder who began teaching taekwondo in 1970, success is measured not only by the medals or titles his students win, but also by his ability to shape a generation that is disciplined, respectful and committed to living harmoniously. “I started teaching taekwondo when I was 20 years old. The first school where I coached was SMJK (C) Kwang Hwa, with just six students. Subsequently, the number of students grew, and we began teaching at more than 10 schools across Selangor,” he told Bernama. In 2010, he established an official training centre, the Power Sport Taekwondo Club, initially to meet demand from students seeking additional training for competitions. The club later expanded its programmes to the public. Over more than five decades, about 20,000 people have trained under his guidance. According to Leong, his greatest satisfaction does not come from the number of medals won,

Rare orchid draws visitors to rural village GUA MUSANG: A tiger orchid cultivated by an Orang Asli resident here since 2011 has bloomed for the second time, eight years after its first flowering, drawing visitors eager to buy it despite the owner’s refusal to sell. Smallholder Razali Ayeh, 51, said the vividly coloured orchid, scientifically known as Grammatophyllum speciosum , was fell from a tree while he was working in a forest area near Pos Hau, about an hour’s journey from Kampung Redip. “I brought it home simply as a decoration for our settlement, as Kampung Redip is a focal point for visitors because we have homestays,” he said.

Of the three orchid plants growing at his home, Razali said only one was the native tiger orchid he had found in the interior forest. He said he appreciated the beauty of forest flora and found the orchid relatively easy to care for, retaining its green young stems while pruning the older, brownish ones. “I did not plant it in a pot because I wanted it to have plenty of space to grow. After more than a decade, it multiplied from a single stem into a large cluster. To ensure it thrives, I use coconut coir and place it in an open area where it gets sufficient sunlight,” he said. The native exotic species is also known locally as the “sugarcane orchid” because of its long, segmented stem. – Bernama

particularly special to him as he had found it as a seedling in the forest and had nurtured it for more than a decade. “The residents and I were also very excited waiting for it to flower. It first bloomed in 2018 and this year, it has produced its beautiful striped petals for the second time,” he told reporters at Kampung Redip here. “When the flowering season arrives, this orchid becomes one of the attractions here. Some visitors who are lucky enough to see it in bloom ask to buy it, but I will not sell it because I am attached to it. It is also not easy to find as it only grows high up on trees in the forest,” he said. Razali said he found the seedling after it

Razali showing visitors the prized tiger orchid plant at Kampung Redip. – BERNAMAPIC

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