COACH TO KAYAK AROUND PENANG
Ex-soldier seeks to boost patriotism in Gen Y
AFORMER soldier is boosting the patriotic spirit by launching a 80km kayak expedition around Penang island yesterday.
Murad Mohd Kassim is doing this in conjunction with the upcoming 60th Merdeka celebration.
He said he was determined to create a positive impact, especially about having strong patriotic feelings for the country, among the Gen-Y,
“I want to build up the spirit among the Gen-Y on the true meaning of patriotism and independence.
“Let them think and explore outside the box and make the country proud.
“What I want to share from my expedition is that one must do one’s best to achieve one’s target, regardless of the difficulty involved.
“This expedition might be tough with the uncertain weather, including strong winds and rough seas, but I am determined not to give up,” Murad said, at the Batu Uban Marine Department jetty here.
His expedition was flagged off by Communications and Multimedia Ministry (MCMC) northern region assistant director Noor Azlina Nordin at 9.30am yesterday from the jetty.
Murad is expected to complete the expedition by kayaking through Tanjung Tokong, Teluk Bahang, Balik Pulau and Teluk Kumbar, before returning to the jetty by 2pm tomorrow.
He said he had chosen Penang for its location, where tall buildings are close to the shores, and planned to have a relaxed journey while taking photographs.
The state Fire and Rescue Department is monitoring his expedition to ensure his safety.
The journey is not expected to be difficult for Murad, who holds the record for kayak expeditions in the Malaysia Book of Records (MBOR) for sailing nearly 2,200km around the peninsula between April 1 and May 22, in 2015.
He is a kayak coach at Universiti Sultan Azlan Shah, Perak.
Murad has been involved in kayaking for the past six years.
“It is not easy to kayak. One must have strong mental strength to do so. To achieve that, I train up to three hours daily in Sungai Perak in Kuala Kangsar.
“I plan to kayak off the coasts of China and Australia.”