While in a little manicured park in Malacca, somewhere near Jonker Street, I saw a young Chinese man with a bodybuilder physique flexing his muscles and posing in front of a black statue. It was the statue of a bigwig of the historical city, I learn; Datuk Wira Dr. Gan Boon Leong, touted as the Father of Bodybuilding in Malaysia who had a string of titles to his name; Mr. Melaka, Mr. Malaysia and even Mr. Asia and Mr. Universe. The athlete turned politician had been Mr. Asia in 1956 and an Honorary Mr. Universe in 2000. Thought that as impressive since gyms and supplements were not in vogue then.
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