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A school vice chairman just proved that midlife crisis can actually be a force for good.
Meet Datuk Dr. Cheng Joo Ann, who, at 60 years old, decided the best way to raise money for his school was to get absolutely jacked.
The guy gave himself 60 days to develop a six-pack and put on a bodybuilding show.
Not exactly your typical fundraising bake sale.
Cheng, who leads various local charitable projects enhancing community welfare through the Lions Club, wasn’t messing around with his routine either.
As Long as Passion Doesn’t Die, Age Is Not an Obstacle
Up at 6 AM for cardio, eating nothing but eggs, steamed chicken breast, boiled fish, and vegetables.
Zero cheat days.
“What people see is me on stage, but behind it are countless hours of sweat, pain, and doubt,” he said.
Here’s the thing – the man has spinal scoliosis, slipped discs, and torn ligaments.
Plenty of people told him he was crazy to attempt this.
His response? “As long as passion doesn’t die, age is not an obstacle.”
Round Two of Getting Swole for School
The stunt worked; Cheng and his 48-year-old workout partner hit the stage at the 2025 Mr. Kedah bodybuilding competition as a special charity performance.
The crowd went wild, and the donations poured in.
Final tally: RM280,000 – significantly more than their original target of RM200,000, with the money going toward school upgrade projects at SMJK Keat Hwa 2.
This wasn’t even Cheng’s first rodeo. Back in 2013, he and the same partner raised RM100,000 through a similar bodybuilding charity show for 50 underprivileged students.
His parting wisdom to anyone thinking they’re too old to chase their goals: “Don’t fear age and difficulties. As long as you’re still breathing, you have a chance to start over. Success doesn’t belong to the strongest, but to those who never give up.”
READ MORE: Teachers Lead By Example: Donating Half Their Salaries To Raise Over RM200,000 For School Hall
Parts of this story have been sourced from China Press.
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