My Malaysian Probationary Driving License (PDL) expired last Sunday. Thankfully, that was one day after Wuan and I went to Ipoh to celebrate Mother’s Day as Wuan’s driving license had also expired. We stayed home on Sunday as I had to collect my urine for a period of 24 hours for the 24-hour urine creatinine test. Wuan renewed her license at the post office on Monday morning before we went to the hospital.
We had planned to renew and change the license after dropping off the urine and got a blood sample taken. By the time we were done there, it was already twelve noon. We took a chance to go to the JPJ office at Padang Jawa even though it was almost time for lunch break. We reached there at 12.15 pm and quickly made our way into the building, got a queue number and waited. The waiting area was rather crowded.
Before we could even settle down, it was already my turn. Wuan passed my expired license, a colour photograph and RM150 to the officer to renew it for five years. The bottom right edge of the expired license was snipped off and returned. Less than one minute later, the officer presented the spanking new Malaysian Competent Driving License (CDL) to me. I looked at my wrist watch when we got out from the office. It was barely 12.25pm. The speed and ease of renewing the driving license was astonishing.
For the past two years, I had enjoyed the freedom of mobility that came from driving. Wuan and I had done more things, went to more places and travelled further than we could ever imagined. Doing what I am doing now, having a car is not only a convenience but a necessity. If the public transport is accessible, I would not be driving this much, especially around Kuala Lumpur. Ah well…
Nevertheless, driving was one of the things that I thought I could never do again after the accident. Having achieved it, I credit this to the good friends around me who gave me encouragement and support in this endeavour, and especially Wuan who drove me to driving lessons and did everything she possibly could to help me achieve this. Thank you all! You know who you are.