TAKE it easy. Let the younger ones clock the miles.

Those ‎phrases may have some traction with most veteran politicians but not DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang. The 77-year-old is contesting his 12th general election but his schedule is as punishing as ever.

‎He senses that GE14 offers the best chance for the opposition to finally topple Barisan Nasional. He knows that he may not enjoy such an opportunity again.

So, sleep can wait.

By 8.30pm last Saturday, after filing his nomination papers, Lim was back on stage in Ayer Hitam, Johor, pitching for his party’s candidate Liew Chin Tong. Liew is contesting against MCA’s No. 2 Dr Wee Ka Siong.

Right after the Ayer Hitam ceramah, Lim travelled 80km to Skudai for two more ceramah before calling it a night.

On Sunday morning, he was up bright and early. Lim, who had a cancer operation in December, began his day at 7.45am with walkabouts in Johor Jaya and Simpang Renggam‎.

By afternoon, Lim was back in his home town Batu Pahat meeting more voters before heading to Kluang for a session with voters over coffee.

At 8pm, he was back on stage in the small backwater town of Paloh where DAP is fielding Sheikh Omar Ali against MCA’s Teoh Yap Kun before finishing Sunday with another ceramah in Labis.

Since his nomination on Saturday, Lim has spoken at five ceramah in Johor. On Monday, Lim went to Jementah, Segamat, in the morning to pitch for Tan Chen Choon, who is defending the seat against MCA’s Chiam Yok Meng and PAS’ Khairil Fauzi Ahmad Kamil.

After that, the 10-term MP was scheduled to speak in two more functions in Negri Sembilan (Rasah Jaya and Nilai) before moving to Pahang (Raub and Bentong) today.

According to his staff, Lim will head to Penang tomorrow for more rallies before going to Sabah and Sarawak on Friday.

On how he was coping, she said Lim was adamant about doing as many rounds the body could handle.

“We are making sure he’s well rested in between the different speaking engagements. But he insists on covering as much ground as he can,” said the staff member at DAP’s head office.

Lim said this was Malaysia’s best and last chance to end BN’s 61-year-rule in Malaysia.

“If we miss this chance, there may not be another,” said Lim, who won his first seat in Bandar Malacca in 1969.

In a career spanning almost five decades, Lim has contested in 11 parliamentary contests and lost only once (1999 Bukit Bendera). The former journalist also contested in eight state contests and won four times – Kubu in Malacca (1974-1982) and Kg Kolam and Padang Kota in Penang (1986-1995). – May 1, 2018.