Besides instructing new students the art of driving, a driving instructor also does a few other things as well.

I have been imparting the knowledge of driving to students for over 41 years now. However, besides driving, people also seek my assistance for a few other things as well. For instance, there are some who seek my help for renewing road tax and insurance too. And yet, there are those who request my assistance for transferring ownership of vehicles.

For those who may not be aware, the above requires the vehicle mentioned above first of all undergo an inspection exercise by the Puspakom authorities. Without the inspection certificate B5, no transfer can be done! Many people, including friends and relative approach me to do a few of the abovementioned items such as changing road tax, buying insurance coverage and inspection of vehicles.

There are also those who contact me because they have to secure a duplicate copy of their “P” license or Passed license (CDL) which they have inadvertently lost. Recently, a neighbor of mine came to seek my help. It appears Mr. Singh, who works for Tenaga Nasional in Klang had a problem. His daughter, who is currently attending classes at Inti College, recently lost her driving license.

To get Mr. Singh’s daughter her duplicate driving license, I had first of all, to locate a runner friend, Bala, to assist me. You see, Bala has been in this line for years now and he is rather competent with regards to costs and all the requirements needed to secure a duplicate license.

Basically, a person who has lost his or her driving license cannot drive temporarily. If however, a person finds that he or she has no alternative but to drive, as a seasoned instructor, I would suggest one way out of this predicament.

A person who has lost his or her driving license, be it a CDL or “P”, a police report has to be made. With a police report, which costs only RM2 a copy, a motorist can this be permitted to drive for the time being. A police report permits a motorist to drive for a reasonable length of time, say one to two weeks. This allows you, in the meantime, to attempt getting a duplicate license out.

At times, when you meet with law enforcement officers, such as the police or even the JPJ, some can be rather intimidating. I would like to advise that a motorist should stand his or her ground proving that he or she knows his or her rights and the prevailing laws as well. It this happens, I believe you will then probably not be confronted with any problem at all.

For those who have lost their driving license and find there is no necessity to drive for the time being, JPJ rules and regulations does not require a police report to be made. A person can either engage a driving school instructor or runner to facilitate a duplicate driving license be obtained from any branch office of the JPJ.

What are the things required to get your duplicate license out, you may well ask?

The things you’ll need will be amongst other things are:
i) Your MyKad.

ii) Colour photograph (license size).

iii) A copy of either a TNB or Telekom bill, if you intend to change your latest address.

iv) A RM20 fine will be imposed on all driving license lost.

If however your driving license is about to expire soon, you can very well opt for it to be renewed for a few more years. This will eliminate the problem of having to renew your license in the near future.

If a person who has lost his or her driving license is quite free or is able to get a day off from work, they are advised to visit one of the many JPJ offices to get the duplicate license out themselves. Service at the branch offices of JPJ nowadays is rather fast. You should not encounter any problem at all. I’m sure you’ll be able to get your license out within less than half an hour at the most.

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Many young people, especially those who have hardly turned 17, yet feel that there is no better birthday present in the world than to get a driving license.

To these young people, a driving license seems to be the gateway to many things in life.

A driving license ends your having to travel on buses or cycling around the entire town on bicycles. You can get to go places you like, to the cinemas, beaches, to the nearby mamak stalls with your classmates and friends until the wee hours of the morning. Life to these youngsters would indeed be a dream.

To be able to drive a car at only 17 years old is everything a youth of today wish for. I have frequently been asked by readers, hardly 15 or 16 years of age, if they are old enough to learn how to drive.

As a driving instructor for many years now, I have come across many students who even are ready to appear for practical tests, inspite of their Sijil Pelajaran Malaysia (SPM) examination approaching barely a few days away.

Is one should ask any 17 years old student today, the choice of either optioning to go for further tuition to better his or her weak subjects prior to the potential public exam approaching, or to take up a driving course in order to get a driving license, let me tell you, 9 out of 10 students, believe me, would opt for the second option without a doubt.

But unfortunately, what most young drivers of today do not realise it, although it’s true, a driving license is a gateway to many interesting things in life, it can sometimes be a source of much miseries too. That is, if it is used wrongly.

Why do I hold on to such a belief? For reader’s information, the Kursus Pendidikan Pemandu (KPP) is a compulsory 5 hour course for all potential driving students before they are allowed to sit for the Highway Code computer test. The above course basically teaches potential driving students how to prevent road accidents.

According to the Road Transport Ordinance 1987 which in fact should be known by all potential students aspiring how to drive. Section 41 (1) of the above act reiterates, “a motorist causing deaths by reckless or dangerous driving will face amongst other things:
i) A mandatory jail sentence of 2 to 10 years imprisonment.

ii) A fine of RM500 – RM2000 according to the old charges. It is believed, the above figures have undergone a revamp lately. It is now believed to amount has been changed from RM5000 to RM15,000 as of late.

iii) The license of a driver involved in such an accident can have his driving license suspended from the date of the commencement of the court case until the sentence of imprisonment is discharged.

Young drivers holding licenses to drive should therefore study the above punishment very carefully.

Want to get a Malaysian driving license?
This book will show you how.
=> Click here to learn more!

Can Malaysians Use Their Driving License In Japan?

If you are an avid student of history, you would have learnt that the world has seen 2 major wars, the 1st World War (1919) and the 2nd World War (1939 – 1945).

The League of Nations ended the first one. While the Geneva Conference 1949, the second one. A revamp of the Geneva Conference was made in 1968.

Under the Geneva Conference, countries signatory to this agreement have agreed to allow drivers of each other country to use their domestic licenses when they visit the countries concerned.

Malaysian’s domestic licenses for instance, could be used in Singapore without any problem at all. Likewise, when a Malaysian should visit neighboring Thailand, he is allowed to drive his Malaysian registered vehicle into Thailand fairly easily. Malaysian licenses for your information are acceptable for use by the Thai authorities.

The only reminder to Malaysian citizens who wish to drive down there is to remember that their licenses are valid, meaning it is not expired and secondly, have the license you own ideally translated into the local language to facilitate the authorities’ work there.

When my son-in-law, Kin, visited Australia with his wife for a holiday, he rented a car and traveled around the entire continent extensively. With his domestic Malaysian license, he had no trouble especially with the road transport authorities and police people there.

The same also applied to my brother-in-law, Mr. Ooi, and my sister when they visited the United Kingdom a few years ago. The above couple, I was told rented a car also and traveled extensively around England rather cheaply.

Readers of this blog have time and again inquired of me, can Malaysian domestic licenses be used to drive in foreign countries?

As I have explained earlier, the answer to the above question frequently asked is certainly “Yes”!

In providing such an answer, I base my answer on my vast experience in the driving industry, which has spanned over 40 years or so. Besides that, I also base my answer on text books and resources that I possess. It sould also be reminded that I have been involved in lecturing defensive driving courses at a fairly large institute for many years now.

Pertaining to questions which I am unable to answer, I will normally approach the assistant manager of the institute to which I am currently attached to seek an answer from him.

But at times, the answer given to blog readers, I have to admit are not 100 percent correct all the time. One should remember that answers given to blog readers may at times be incorrect. In fact, the question of opinion should always be taken into consideration.

Recently, some readers of this blog posed a query to me, can Malaysian license be used in Japan?

Straight away, as per the Geneva Conference 1949, I have my opinion as yes. The above conference provides for the usage of domestic licenses.

To further question as to whether a Malaysian driving in Japan should change his license in to International Driving License (I.D.L) or otherwise, I have normally advised that such licenses can be used in most countries, including Japan.

My recent reading regarding driving conditions which Japan imposes on foreign nationals should in fact be an I.D.L. is required by the Japanese authorities there.

With this in mind, I am from now onwards, will advise readers to ideally procure an I.D.L. prior to visiting Japan is they should intent to drive there. Because that’s what the Japanese authorities insist upon.

Japan, it is said, has concluded some 20 or more agreements with many nations pertaining to use of licenses. I believe, in order to streamline driving rules and regulations, this requirement is indeed a good move.

With the conclusion of this article, the question of using Malaysian driving license in Japan has therefore been put to rest. By reading this article carefully, readers will find that it would be unnecessary for them to inquire me for an answer.