PDL - Malaysian Probationary Driving License
Lesen Memandu Percubaan Malaysia
Photo by Wuan.

This Malaysian Probationary Driving License is valid for two years. Barring an driving offense that may result in this license being revoked and cancelled, I will be issued with the CDL (Malaysian Competent Driving License - Lesen Memandu Kompeten) after the probationary period. Wuan and I collected the license from Safety Driving Centre. I then attended a press interview with other members of BEAT.

Wuan and I went off to 1-Utama for lunch, shopped a little after which I drove all the way back. Being on the wheel again after twenty three years evoked so many emotions. I never thought I could drive again. That was the reason I stopped renewing my driving license ten years ago. My desire to drive again was inspired by Kuan Aw and Christine.

Now that I have obtained my driving license, William sowed the seeds of a long road trip in my mind to celebrate this milestone with Cynthia and Wuan. Penang? Ipoh? Melaka? My driving now is inconsistent at best. However, I am confident that I will be able to pick up the finer points in a very short time. There are some things that one does not forget. Driving is one of them. This is another momentous step in the liberation of Peter Tan.

My PDL (Lesen Memandu Percubaan / Probationary Driving License) has been issued. I just cannot wait to collect it from the driving school and start driving. These ten months of acquiring a car, installing the hand control kit and taking the driving tests have been one interesting experience after another. This journey in liberation will be a stepping stone to other even more interesting journeys.

The instructors at Safety Driving Centre are one passionate lot. Their professionalism in polishing me from the rusty driver that I was to achieving what I consider one of the greater achievements is one chapter of my life that I can never forget. Thank you Sirs!

Special thanks also go to William and Cynthia for spending time car shopping with Wuan and I and took me to Putrajaya JPJ to submit the attachment application; Christine and friends for bringing in the hand control kit on a long windy trip from Singapore; and Wang for giving me pointers and assisted me in filling up the forms for the modifications approval application. Then there is ReallyBites who gave me many valuable advice. Thank you. I won the bet with one week to spare. Pay up!

As always, there is Wuan, without whom there would be no car. I am truly touched by her dedication in taking me to driving lessons and taking leave to accompany me to the numerous tests. This achievement is all yours darling. Thank you. And to all who have rooted for me, thank you to you too. You have been great cheerleaders minus the pompoms and miniskirts. See you guys on the road.

There is more good news to come. Dr. Kenji Kuno invited me together with Hee and Siew Chin, my Independent Living Programme counterparts, to discuss the details of the last of the tri-series of Independent Living and Peer Counselling Workshops in Malaysia at the Jabatan Kebajikan Masyarakat Malaysia this morning. This last workshop, like the previous two, is funded by the Japan International Cooperation Agency. Two resource persons from the Humancare Association in Tokyo, namely Ms. Hiroko Akiyama and Mdm. Aiko Tsutsumi, will be conducting this workshop in June. We will be seriously looking into establishing two Centre for Independent Living in Malaysia within eighteen months. I may also be working on another project that I will update once I have more concrete details.

The weeks of anxiety that built up to this morning was lost in the last days that Morrie shared with Mitch. It was one book that had managed to hold my attention in a long while. That was in between straining my ears listening to the announcements calling candidates to go for the road tests and desperately trying to finish each chapter before my turn came up. This was one book that made me tear and made me chuckle. I could relate to some of the stories. I have been through the death of both parents and a few loved ones. Each of their deaths made me appreciate life more. Although I will be busy for the rest of this week, I will sneak in time to discover the unfolding enlightenment that Morrie has to share with all of us. This is one book that is worth many times more than the price I paid for it. For a moment, passing the driving test did not seem that significant an event. Nevertheless, it is one that will liberate me in many ways.

Andy the driving instructor gave me my Malaysian Learner’s Driving License (Lesen Belajar Memandu Malaysia) today. After that we went on the public road for the first time learning one of the three test routes. The journey was harrowing as well as thrilling. It has been more than twenty two years since I last drove a car. The earliest date that I can sit for the Ujian Memandu Bahagian II and Bahagian III is May 7. Wuan is unable to take leave from work on the first half of the month. Therefore the test has to be postponed to the later part of next month.

The second driving lesson saw the muscles in my right hand tested to their limits. I went through the rigmarole of the three tests for the Ujian Memandu Bahagian II in today’s lesson, namely the slope test, three-point turning and side parking.

The three-point turning and side parking were strenuous exercises. I needed to turn the steering wheel to the extreme right or left for both activities. The power steering was not of much help much when the steering wheel was turned while the car was stationary.

It was a great relief when Andy indicated that today’s lesson had ended. My right arm was getting feeble. The last time that I used my arm this much was when I was in Tokyo and Bangkok. Hopefully with a few more lessons, the strength in my arm will improve.