Come April 28, Saad Noordin plans to cycle 2,000km across Peninsular Malaysia.

By all accounts, the month-long feat appears to be a tall order for the man. Saad is 65.

The part-time journalist with the Malaysian National News Agency (Bernama) in Baling since 1982 believes in the adage that age is no barrier in overcoming any task.

"Actually, cycling across the peninsula has been my dream since the age of 20...only now, I am able to realise that dream.

"Venturing to cycle across Peninsular Malaysia at 65 is a big challenge, no doubt, judging by my advanced age and physical condition. However, I want to take it as a challenge.

"In 2001, my journalist friends and I had planned to cycle to Mecca but shelved the plan due to political unrest along several routes leading to the Holy Land," Saad said here Friday.

He said he would be accompanied throughout the 2,000km cycling tour by his friend, Mohd Kamarulzaman Abdul Wahab, 54.

Saad said the tour was planned about four months ago but only now it had materialised after obtaining the necessary assistance and sponsorship.

"I was sad because we failed to get any sponsorship and moral support from certain parties, probably because we are senior citizens, and deemed unfit for the cycling tour," he added.

Nevertheless, help came in the form of Jeneri assemblyman Mahathir Abdul Hamid who extended various forms of aid and sponsorship for Saad to pursue his dream.

At this point, Saad said he was awaiting delivery of two bicycles from a company which offered to help.

Saad said during the cycling tour, he would prepare an anthology of poetry consisting of 200 poems written since 1972.

The cycling tour will be flagged off by Mahathir at the service centre at 10am on April 28.