It's not often that we hear people praising Government departments but this is one such post.
Recently learnt that there is such a thing as an International Driving Permit (IDP) issued by the JPJ (Road Transport Department).
As we would be leaving for UK soon, I thought it would be a good idea to have one. Remembered that I have a friend (who can’t be named) at the JPJ office in Alor Star. Promptly called him up.
Learnt that he had been involved in some kind of accident during the recent Sukma games and was on leave. However, he mentioned that he would call up some of his colleagues there.
He called me back after a few minutes and told me that I needed to bring along afew things:
1. 2 copies of passport size photograph
2. Passport
3. Original driving license
4. RM150/
So I took half-day off from work today and drove to the JPJ office in Alor Star.
It was funny because on the way some officers of the JPJ stopped me at a roadblock. My license was expiring 3 days later and the officer asked me when I planned to have it renewed. “I am on my way to your office right now,” I Told him.
Dropped by a photo studio and had my pictures taken. Took a few minutes and I had 4 copies plus a CD of my photograph (RM11/). Thank God for technology.
I roughly knew where their office was but had to ask a few people before I finally got there. Once there, I called up my friend who directed me to go inside and meet up his colleague.
They were really efficient and friendly (unlike some Government offices I have been too). Took them nearly half and hour to renew my driving license for 2 years (RM60/) and prepare my IDP (valid for 1 year).
It is nice to have friends at the right places. Thanks a lot.
Something unrelated or maybe it is.
On the way back, I don’t know why, I had this strange warm happy feeling. Maybe due to the fact that I was cruising down a nearly empty North-South highway with green paddy fields on both sides with Dire Straits playing on my cassette player. A feeling that can’t be described.
Tags: International Driving Permit JPJ Networking
1 comment:
Good for you, my grand uncle is the Pengerusi Persatuan Memandu, so when i my license it was a brief too, i left out a photo in my application, the JPJ fella called me up and told me of it, so courier it over to him and he got it donw in no time
yeah sometimes with the correct connection you can get things dome faster and easier
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