Perak Matriculation College / Kolej Matrikulasi Perak (KMPk) Gothic

Please read this post fully! The blog shall not be held responsible for any psychological confusion or fear the information may inflict on the reader! Cheers!

A Guide To Living In KMPk / KMPk Gothic :

• Do not stray far from the roads in the campus.

• Always bring your student card with you. It is your main source of protection here.

• The pathway between the lecture halls and trees always seems to be changing. One moment, you may be walking normally. The next, you almost tripped because the level is uneven.

• Ensure that you complete all assignments on time. Even if it means burning your legs off desperately trying to reach the cubicle doors before 5 PM.

• You hear a sudden distant scream outside your dorm room. Ignore it. It may either be a stressed-out student McFreaking losing it, or something else. You would not like to witness either one regardless.

• The Cafe With Many Lights is overwhelmingly popular with the students. There is a reason why, but no one would give you the exact answer.

• You walk, yet again, down a dangerous hill in total darkness. The Moon could only watch as you make your way to the only other source of light in the area. You come with your card, only to be greeted with a red screen with a soul-crushing message. This is the 5th time in a week.

• Wake up 5-10 minutes earlier than any "perfect" time if you want to use the laundry machine quickly. If people start to wake up at 5 AM, wake up at 4:50 AM instead.

• You walk around the first floor of the tutorial block with a paper in hand. Something stops you from pinning the paper onto any board. You push the pin until it snaps. It was only when you backed away did you realise that it was not a board, but an abomination made out of countless other papers. The entire wall of the first floor is covered in paper.

• Respect any cats you come across in the college. You do not know what connections they may have with the "other" inhabitants.

• Tutorials are supposed to be engaging and helpful for students. You were in a Math tutorial class, and when you blinked, you were suddenly in a lecture hall learning Biology. You stopped questioning after your 4th teleportation.

• You should not swim in the college lake. You do not recognise the bodies in the water.

• The cleaners always hang out under staircases. No one bats an eye whenever they see a child running around those areas. How are they so sure that the child is supposed to be there? They don't.

• It is normal for students to be up and about at 3 AM on a weekday, especially Friday. No one interacts with each other, though. They are too focused on completing their assignments. They also are afraid that the other person is not what they seem to be.

• Be wary of the words of others. People can be easily consumed by vengeance sometimes. This includes seniors who like to scare the newbies.

• You walk to the Anjung Siswa area. The tables and chairs have completely moved to different places compared to yesterday. Do not question this. Take a seat and appreciate that you can study there without actually seeing It.

• Rice. Chicken. Iced tea. Keropok. Fried rice. Waffles. Burgers. Iced tea. Tomyam. Chicken chop. Iced tea.

• At night, do not go above the first floor of the tutorial block. Do not walk around the science lab block. The lights are switched off for a reason.

• Nighttime is the best time to take solo walks around the campus. You feel the cool wind breeze past you as the trees watch. You may see figures once in a while, but let them be. They want to enjoy the night sky too.

• If you see a silhouette in a lit window of the staff building at night, look away.

• You see several people using the free college bags on a daily basis. They are either seniors or those who smile in the face of death itself.

• It is time for the annual running event. You see many people hiding away in their dorm rooms. You see many people with scrunched up faces outside. You do not see where half of the crowd goes halfway in the event.

• "KMPk?" They asked. Only one word escaped your mouth: Dihatiku.

This is my take on regional gothic, based on my own experiences studying in KMPk for 2 years. I tried, alright?

Getting A Driving Licence In Malaysia : A Summary

This is based on my experience (2018) in getting a driving licence.

The information I present may differ from other people's experiences.

This is only a brief summary on the steps you should know when applying for a licence. Details are explained in my other posts.

1. Go and register yourself at any driving school.

⇒ Please refer here for a list of registered driving schools. If you would like to register with an agent, you can either look around your area for agents or ask for a list from the driving school clerk. 

⧫ An agent is a middleman for you and the school/lessons. In a nutshell, they manage your lesson schedules, exam bookings, as well as probably help transport you between your home and school.

2. Prepare yourself for and attend the 6-hour lecture (KPP 01).

⇒ This is the first mandatory part of the process you need to go through when applying for a licence. The lecturer will mainly talk about road safety and the importance of getting a driving licence if you would like to drive any vehicle.

⧫ Make sure to take note of the school's dress code (if any) and be punctual. Try not to sleep during the lecture because it's seriously boring.

3. Go for the Ujian Bahagian I.

⇒ This computerised, MCQ test will have questions related to road safety, traffic laws, and road signs. You will most likely do the test at any MyEG or Rilek centre. Remember to make bookings for your test at the centre/driving school counter or have your agent do it for you.

 ⧫ Please bring some money for your photo that will be taken by the staff there to be used for your learner's card.

4. Go for the 5-and-a-half-hour Litar practical classes (KPP 02).

⇒ If you passed the Ujian Bahagian I, you will soon get your learner's card and be able to proceed with practical driving classes. This class will have you drive through various obstacles in the school's driving compound. You will also learn about RPK (Rutin Pemeriksaan Kereta) and RSM (Rutin Sebelum Memandu).

 ⧫ Some schools will do this class for 5 and a half hours straight, while other schools cut this required time into 2 or 3 classes on different days. Either way, get some proper rest and meals before going. It'll help if you're familiar with the learning car you'll be using.

5. Go for the 10-hour Road practical classes (KPP 03).

⇒ This is the part where you drive on public road while accompanied by your instructor. Each school has different routes so take note of your route's quirks and directions. The route has to incorporate several traits such as a junction, a curved road, a housing area road, and a roundabout.

⧫ Try not to panic while driving on public road. Other motorists except motorcyclists for some reason can clearly see that you're driving a learning car so they'll avoid you and give you some space. As long as you stick to the left lane and drive safely, you shouldn't have much to worry about.

6.  Do the QTI Test (A.K.A. the trial before your real JPJ Test).

⇒ After completing the required time for the classes, you will then have to do a QTI Test. This test will test you on the things you need to do for the actual JPJ Test. Your school's instructors will be testing you on the car routines, obstacles, and driving on public road (KPP 02 & 03).

⧫ Although this is just a trial, you should be well prepared for it as if it's the real thing. Remember the steps for RPK and RSM as well as the criteria for each obstacle or public road feature.

7. Attend the JPJ Test.

⇒ If you passed the QTI Test, you will be able to do the real JPJ Test. This is the final part of your driving lessons where it'll determine whether you'll be a P (Probation) driver or stuck with an L licence (until you pass). JPJ officers will be testing you on the car routines, obstacles, and driving on public road (KPP 02 & 03).

⧫ Everyone always says that JPJ officers are intimidating and yell a lot. That's kind of true. However, don't let that scare or demotivate you. What's my trick in dealing with them? I just smile and stay eerily optimistic throughout the test. Any yelling I get will be replied with my smile and sheepish "whoops!". Nothing says "up yours" better than a defiant cheery personality in the face of death.

8.  Welcome to the P Drivers Club.

⇒ Congratulations on passing the JPJ Test. You are now officially a legal driver, although with a P licence. For 2 years, you'll have to display the iconic red P stickers on your vehicle and be subjected to a tighter KEJARA System demerit benchmark. Full-fledge drivers (a.k.a. drivers with the C licence) will get their licence revoked if they accumulate 15 points, whereas P drivers will get their licence revoked if they accumulate 10 points.

⧫ You can apply for a P licence card at any JPJ office. Make sure to bring along your IC, L licence, test results, and around RM60. Please follow all traffic laws and briefly read through the KEJARA System demerit offences. Even not bringing along your driving licence when driving can hit you with 5 demerit points.

9. Get the C driving licence. 

⇒ After 2 years of being a P driver, you can finally apply for a C (Competent) driving licence.

⧫ I have no tips for this step since I'm still in Step 8 as of this post. Anyway, have fun and stay safe.

🔆 ~Thanks for reading my post and have a nice day~ 🔆 

[Part 7] Getting My Driving Licence : Ujian JPJ Ulangan and P Licence

Please read this post, which is a summary on how to get a driving licence, as well as the previous part(s) before reading this one if you haven't already.

        Back at it again at Krispy Kreme my driving licence series. I just want to get this over with. I've spent a week trying to recount my experiences in getting my driving licence. My experience may not even be universal, and I've seen other blogs that do this better than me, so what's the benefit of this? I don't even know.

        Let's get straight to the point. I painfully fell into a pit of depression for a few weeks thanks to my failure in my Ujian JPJ Bahagian III. My retry test is scheduled to be in a few weeks after my initial JPJ test. I had enough time to wallow in despair and study my assessment sheet rigorously. Just a tiny mistake (PULL UP THE HANDBRAKE AT STOP SIGNS. PLEASE.) was enough to make me fork out more money for my retry test and hit my self-confidence in the heart. Don't be like me, dear readers who happened to stumble upon my blog. If you want some tips related to the JPJ test, please check out my summary post. I'm lazy to copy it back here.

        The day of my retry test has finally arrived. I was initially nervous, but after getting to experience first-hand how test day would be like, I was less anxious and more determined to pass this test. I arrived at my driving school and went to the counter in the office to register as usual. I was then given a lanyard to wear with a tag that stated my number. Since I'm part of the ulangan group, I wouldn't have to wait so long compared to last time as they would let us finish our test first. A relief, really, as I hate being in hot weather for too long.

I don't think I even need to say what this gif is about.

        It was my turn eventually and I walked over to the designated learning car. My assigned JPJ officer got into the passenger's seat while I was in the driver's seat. Unfortunately, this JPJ officer was a different person than Sir (pseudonym), my initial JPJ officer who was really kind. I did my RSM and drove normally on the road. Why don't you read my previous posts to get an idea on how my road test was like instead of having me to squeeze my brain trying to retell that horrifying ordeal again?

        I think I annoyed the JPJ officer by constantly stopping at any junction I come across and pulling my handbrake up, even if there's no stop sign in sight. Another scar to add in my mind, am I right? He got fed up and told me to hurry up. I finally arrived back at my driving school and stopped the car at the designated spot. The JPJ officer passed me my assessment sheet and I said my thanks before leaving for the counter.

        I finally passed my JPJ Bahagian III test, on my second try! I probably shouldn't be celebrating the fact that I was only able to pass it after retrying, but at least I did without having to come back for a third try. I apologise to those looking for any recounts on Ujian Ulangan JPJ Bahagian II. I guess it'll be similar to the initial test? Don't worry about it like I did. You might get an unnecessary headache.

        Okay, so what happens now?

Let's go practice medicine.

        It's time to get your P licence, of course. I recommend doing this a few days after your test so that your results will have ample time to reach your area's JPJ office. For example, my test was on a Tuesday and I visited the JPJ office on the following Thursday. Be sure to check JPJ's website to check the nearest JPJ office and their operating hours. Some offices have break times and different closing times depending on state so take note.

        I went to the nearest JPJ office at 8 AM. I wouldn't want to get stuck in a really long queue, especially during rush hour after 10 AM. You should probably visit the office early in the morning too, preferably after its opening hour, so that you can get your driving licence quickly and hopefully on the same day. Be sure to know which building to go to for driving licence. Some JPJ offices have different buildings and floors in their compound for different purposes so ask someone if you're unsure. There weren't many people when I arrived at the office, probably around 3 people before me.

        Simply take a queue number and sit down to wait for your turn. There were only about 2 people manning their respective counter at that time. I didn't have to wait for long, maybe a few minutes, before I was called over. When applying for a P licence, please bring along your:

• Original IC
• JPJ Test results, a.k.a. your assessment sheet
• RM60 for the two-year P driving licence
• Maybe a passport-style photo of you with a white background?

        After passing the required items to the clerk, they'll give you a receipt and ask you to head on to the other counter. I gave my receipt and photo to the person who I presume was in charge of making driving licences. I sat back down and waited. Again, I wasn't so sure if the process is just that quick or if it's just because the office is almost deserted, it only took a few minutes for the card to be finished. I've read stories where people had to wait for days, weeks even, to get their driving licence. I'm just glad I got my driving licence quickly. The person gave me back my photo because I guess they already had my photo in their data system.

        Do you think you're done here? Nope. You still need to get P stickers for your vehicle(s). Not displaying the P sticker on the vehicle you're driving despite only being a P driving licence holder can land you in trouble with the road police. Try asking the counter at your JPJ office or find it being sold somewhere in random shops. It's best to get the stickers that are JPJ-certified for accurate measurements. Honestly, I doubt anyone would stop to give a second glance should you use an unofficial sticker unless you're using obviously wrong stickers. Seriously, how do you think you can get away with a neon star-shaped P sticker?

        So there you have it, folks. My series ends here, for now. I don't even know if I'll post updates when I get my C driving licence (the real licence after P). I was hoping to write posts about my college adventures soon. If you have any questions regarding the journey in getting a driving licence, feel free to leave a comment. This is only for Malaysia, though. Please don't ask me how to get a driving licence in Liechtenstein.

        Okay, I just realised how less professional my posts are becoming. My sleep-deprived brain made me put in 2 gifs from a video game and a cartoon in a single post. I will really appreciate it if you check out my previous posts. Everything is explained in detail, and better, there. I promise you.

🔆 ~Thanks for reading my post and have a nice day~ 🔆

[Part 6] Getting My Driving Licence : Ujian JPJ Bahagian II

Please read this post, which is a summary on how to get a driving licence, as well as the previous part(s) before reading this one if you haven't already.

        I never expected the previous post about the JPJ test to get too long until I have to make another post on the Bahagian II test. Sigh. Let me just crack my knuckles and get this done with.

        As a recap, the JPJ test is divided into two parts. Bahagian II (litar) and Bahagian III (jalan raya). You can still continue to do the other part on the same day if you failed one part. For example, I failed Bahagian III on my test day but I was allowed to continue with Bahagian II on that day itself.

        After finishing my Bahagian III, I walked over to the counter to do some paperwork before heading to the cafeteria for a break. I think we were given some time to rest before having to head back to the school compound circuit for the Bahagian II test. To be frank, I felt like dying. The hot temperature of the day and deflated motivation from my failure of the Bahagian III test made me look like a zombie. I had a horrible headache that felt like my brain was being constantly punched. The bad thing whenever I have a headache is that I lost all of my appetite to eat or drink, making my condition even worse.

Hot temperature + Stress ➜ Headache ➜ Loss of appetite ➜ Dehydration ➜ :-(

        It's a dreadful cycle to be stuck in. I spent most of my time sitting on a chair in the corner and having my head down while my eyes are closed. I must've looked really terrible that a driving instructor came over to me and handed me a water bottle. I thanked him before taking a reluctant sip. The water was refreshing, but I had to fight the incoming nausea that appears whenever I dare to consume anything while having a headache. After feeling a bit better, I tucked the bottle into my bag and got up to get ready for the Bahagian II test.

This is what people probably saw me as while I'm having a headache.

        I joined the crowd of people in the same session as me and we headed to the school circuit. The JPJ officers on duty told us that we will be doing RPK (Rutin Pemeriksaan Kereta) and RSM (Rutin Sebelum Memandu) first before doing our Bahagian II stuff. Everyone sat under a pondok while waiting for our turns. At first, the JPJ officers called around 4 people at the same time because there were 4 cars available to be checked but after finding out that trying to handle 4 people at once was chaotic, they reduced the number to 2 candidates at a time.

        Some people were a bit careless in their routines, missing a few parts or not doing the checks correctly. I guess they were nervous about being watched by many other people while doing the routine. The JPJ officers will get mad at you if they call your number but you show up late so always be alert. When it was my turn, I jogged to the checking station (it's like, what, 15 steps away from the waiting pondok?) and placed my bag down. I turned to the JPJ officer who was sitting down at a desk in front of the car and greeted him before asking if I may start the routine. After getting the green light, I did the RPK.

        I'm usually really shy and nervous to perform anything in front of the watchful eyes of others, but I guess this time I was just flat out tired and couldn't care less about my usual anxiety. I raised my voice louder than usual (a.k.a. my presentation voice) and stated out each part while gesturing to them. Here, watch this video to get an idea of how I performed my RPK. At the boot, I took out each tool and showed it to the JPJ officer. At the bonnet, I checked each tanks' water level as well as check the engine oil level using my own tissue. When I was done, I turned to the JPJ officer and said so. I was allowed to leave and I said my thanks before collecting my things and going back to the waiting pondok.

        Not to brag, but I think everyone else learned from my presentation because I started to see the others after me mimicking my gestures and checking the engine oil (something I failed to see being done before my turn). When everyone in my session was finally done, the learning cars were already lined up to be used. Following turns, each person got into one car and a JPJ officer will be outside their car to assess their RSM. When it was my turn, I got into a car and an officer told me to start my RSM. He'd yell at me whenever I got a bit slow in remembering the dashboard symbols but, already tired to give a care, I just smiled. As usual, I missed some points because he probably didn't hear me stating some parts so be sure to raise your voice and have the officer's full attention.

        Basically, you do each course as you would during your lessons or QTI. JPJ officers would be sitting down at various pondoks near each course and assess you by writing down stuff on your assessment sheet. Make sure to raise your arm out of the car or honk after completing a task to inform the officers on duty. I'm not going to talk about this in detail because it'll just be a repeat of my previous posts.

        Now that I thought about it, a lot of embarrassing things happened to me during the Bahagian II test because of miscommunication between candidates and JPJ officers. When I reached the hilltop in the bukit course, I raised my arm out and looked at the JPJ officer who was like right next to me on the hilltop. He just stared at me with an "are you an idiot" look. He yelled "Are you done?" at me and when I nodded, he yelled again "Then honk! Can you people ever follow instructions?!" He was...right next to me. I literally had no need to sound my horn since he's an arm away from me. Some people really like to humiliate others in front of everyone else, it seems. I just gave him a little shrug and smile before driving down the hill. I also did the S-road course and when I reached the end, I raised my arm and honk at the pondok in charge of said course. After numerous failed attempts to get any response, I thought "screw this, I hate bringing attention to myself" and drove away to the next course.

        If there's an obstacle course that's further away from the JPJ officers pondok, then be prepared to wait a while while honking occasionally until one finally decides to head over and assess you. There was also a time where I was waiting for someone to finish the Z-road course and they were still in the road. I got yelled by a JPJ officer for "being too slow and causing a traffic jam" in front of everyone else. They were probably all looking at me like I was the idiot in this situation, someone to snicker at in impromptu conversations with the other person. You want me to risk hitting the car that's still doing the course just because there's only 1 car waiting behind me? Whatever floats your boat, dude. I just rolled my eyes and drove into the Z-road course.

My reaction every time I get unnecessarily yelled at by JPJ officers.

        After all was done, I drove back to the starting point and got out of the car. Even making sure to park in a safe distance from people was enough to warrant another condescending yelling from a JPJ officer. "Just stop the car already and get out!" and other negative adjectives were said towards me. I just walked back to the office with a neutral look on my face. 

        Long story short, I passed my Bahagian II test. I lost a lot of points for the "blindspot" section but oh well. All's well that ends well. Almost. I still need to book again for my Bahagian III test for another day. I did that at the counter before "signing out". My driving instructor seemed disappointed that I failed the road test when I had the luck of getting the easiest route and a nice JPJ officer (I guess driving instructors and JPJ officers know each other well).

        Moral of the story? Please, please do not be overconfident like me. I've constantly received remarks that I was too confident in my driving and was driving like an experienced driver. It may sound positive, but probably not so when you couple it with my anxiety. I think I subconsciously try to mimic other drivers in order to not inconvenience anyone that I end up doing daring choices, such as driving too last for my learning level and not being too careful.

        Next post will, hopefully, finally be the end of this series. I'll be briefly touching on retrying my Bahagian III and how I eventually applied for my P driving licence. I'd rather fill my blog with posts about college or travelling rather than unhelpful posts about some stranger on the Internet getting their driving licence.

🔆 ~Thanks for reading my post and have a nice day~ 🔆

[Part 5] Getting My Driving Licence : Ujian JPJ Bahagian III

Please read this post, which is a summary on how to get a driving licence, as well as the previous part(s) before reading this one if you haven't already.

        I'm just going to merge the topic of QTI Test and JPJ Test into one post because honestly, I haven't much to talk about when it comes to the QTI Test. It's basically the same thing as the JPJ Test but it's a trial test run by your driving school's instructors. If you pass the QTI test, you'll be able to book for the real JPJ Test.

        Just as a refresh or for those of you who for some reason don't know what it is, the JPJ Test is the final test you'll be facing when you're obtaining your driving licence. It covers Bahagian II (litar) and Bahagian III (jalan raya) of your learning process. Actual JPJ officers will assess you on your driving during the test. If you pass, you'll be able to apply for a P licence. If you fail, well, you can opt for a retry.

        I'm pretty sure different driving schools and states have different ways of running the JPJ Test, but the fundamentals remain the same. JPJ officers will usually be holding sheets of papers which act as a marking sheet for the candidates. Several first-time candidates might be freaking out internally while retry candidates might be chilling out like it's a hangout. Some poor guy got the luck to be on the receiving end of a JPJ officer's attitude in front of everyone else. You get the drill.

        Let's start with my experience on this challenge.

        I had to wake up pretty early for the test. My driving school usually holds the JPJ Test every Tuesday, and 8 AM is usually when everyone arrives at the driving school to register themselves at the office. Once I finally registered, I had to wear a lanyard with a tag of my number. Since there were many of us on that day, we had to split the group into 2 to 3 sessions. Thankfully, I was in the first session and was probably around the 35th person in turn. We all sat down on chairs lined up for us and waited until the JPJ officers arrived at the driving school at around 9 AM.

        It's pretty strange, but for today they decided to do the Bahagian III test first. Perhaps they wanted to avoid the usual 5 PM rush hour traffic jam. Where we were seated, we could see the road and learning cars all prepared for the test. On top of their roofs were attachable orange siren lights in order to let other road users that the driver in said car is being evaluated. We could even watch every candidate get in the car on their turn and drive off. We all quickly understood that a candidate failed the test if the JPJ officer drove the car on the way back.

        The morning sun was shining down upon us and I, being a natural heat-sensitive person, had a hard time trying to not doze off from the loss of energy. When it was my turn, nearly half of the area was empty due to the finished candidates going off to the cafeteria for a drink. I was shy and afraid of the JPJ officer, but I still kept my cool and stayed emotionally numb/neutral. I placed my bag at the back seat and got into the driver's seat while the JPJ officer, who I think will be named Sir from now on in this post, got into the passenger's seat.

        I gathered the courage to greet Sir and ask him if I could start the RSM. I guess I ended up being too nervous about the test that I speedran everything. I muttered everything to myself while I tried not to mess up on the toggles. This punched me in the back because I lost points in not "determining my hand positions on the steering wheel" and "correctly adjusting my side and back mirrors". For Axia users, you're supposed to adjust your mirrors using that button on your right.

Do you see that square button on the right with two toggles? That's the one.

        I got the instrument panel symbols right, which is a relief. Oh, how I despise being a wreck when talking to strangers. Every other things like signal lights and horn were checked properly. I guess I didn't make it obvious that I checked Sir to see if he was wearing his seatbelt because I lost a point for that on my assessment sheet. Remember to wear and check your seatbelt, and that includes tugging on it to make sure it's working, or you might find yourself getting out of the car without ever having driven it.

        Sir told me to go Route C, which is considered one of the shorter routes taught at my driving school. Off we go. It has been ingrained in my head to stop at every junction and look left and right before proceeding, but I didn't make it a habit to pull up my handbrake every time that happens. This, ladies and gentleman, is where you see the catalyst for my upcoming downfall. Anyway, we got out of the driving school compound and got onto the main road. Here's another friendly reminder to use your signal lights properly every time you want to make a turn or switch lanes. Remember to check your blindspots too, unless you don't mind getting marked down for that every time you're tested on one section.

        The road was alright on that day. Not many cars when it was 11 AM, but still enough to make me nervous as usual. I see red traffic light on my lane, I shift the gear to neutral and pull up my handbrake. I had to put my foot down on the brake pedal too despite all that for "safety purposes". I did my best to smoothly switch lanes whenever needed and give my signal lights every time it's necessary. According to my assessment sheet, I only had problems with my hand positioning on the steering wheel when I turn the wheel, checking my blindspots, and "checking for hazards using the correct mirror".

        Welcome to today's documentary on the Fall of the Roman Empire Velvet During Their JPJ Test. Everything was going well, no complaints so far by Sir, and the road was surprisingly empty when I was driving through the housing area. I handled the numerous road bumps dotting the road with ease and was driving at the acceptable speed of 30 km/h. Then, it appeared. Its gleaming red face decorated with white alphabets. A deadly viper hidden in the bush, waiting to strike its next unsuspecting victim. The "berhenti" sign.

Seeing this signboard after the incident made me experience a brief flash of agony and suffering.

        I was approaching a T-junction so I kind of stopped as usual and lightly checked left and right for any oncoming vehicles. No other car was around, so I proceeded to my turn. Unfortunately, that junction was also where that stop sign was located at. My heart sank a la the Titanic (but much faster) when Sir told me to stop at the side of the road. Stopped at the side of the road I did, and he simply told me to switch seats. When I got onto the passenger seat, Sir started to explain my mistakes and how I can fix them. I automatically failed the test because I didn't pull up my handbrake at the stop sign. But, I was so lucky to have Sir as my assigned JPJ officer for the test because he was actually really nice and friendly.

        For the entirety of the trip back to the driving school, Sir explained to me how to ace my retry test next time and how to fix the mistakes I did earlier. I slowly start to become less nervous thanks to his friendliness and was kind of smiling, despite being utterly shocked and unresponsive because of my sudden failure. The rest of the candidates looked at me when we arrived back at the driving school and I got out of the car to collect my results at the counter. It's kind of upsetting to informally do the "walk of shame" but I didn't want to have a massive breakdown in public so I numbed it out.

        Skipping the boring details, I basically failed the Bahagian III of the JPJ Test. No biggie, I can still continue to do the Bahagian II part of the test after the short break. I think I'll explain that part in the next post, as well as a summary on my retry test and what I did to get my P licence. Peace out.

🔆 ~Thanks for reading my post and have a nice day~ 🔆

[Part 4] Getting My Driving Licence : KPP 03 Road Practical

Please read this post, which is a summary on how to get a driving licence, as well as the previous part(s) before reading this one if you haven't already.

        Phew, 4th post in this series already.

        So, KPP 03. Obviously, I've started driving on public road at this point (while accompanied by my instructor, of course). For this class, my instructor took the learning car out of the driving school compound and showed me the routes that I'll have to learn. I think it depends on your school if you'll need to learn only one route or several more. 

        My driving school has three routes that the students need to memorise and drive through. Route A is kind of a long stretch of road but there's a junction somewhere that's difficult to cross. Routes B and C are through housing areas. They may be shorter compared to A but they have many road bumps. Everything has its pro's and con's, it seems.

        Whatever road you'll be driving on, they all should have some common features since you'll be tested on them during the JPJ exam:

• Straight road
• Junction
• Turning left or right
• Bend
• Roundabout
• Driving through a school/housing area

        Seems pretty easy, huh? If you're someone like me, then think again. Spoiler alert: I failed my JPJ Road test the first time. You can easily lose a lot of marks just by forgetting to do obscure things like checking your blindspots. You can even fail your test on the spot if you forget to wear your seatbelt. I'll say this now before I forget; read through your JPJ penilaian form and remember to do (almost) everything listed there. If you don't have one, request for a copy from your instructor or driving school clerk. If luck is in your hands for this journey, the form may be the exact same form the JPJ officer would be using to assess you during the exam.

        Take note of the actions marked with M for "mandatory". These are the actions you absolutely must do in order to not fail the test automatically. All these things about the exam also apply to KPP 02.

        Back to our usual program of "Ugh This Story Sucks When Will It End".

        I was surprised and panicky when my instructor arrived back at the driving school and handed me the wheel. I was smiling and laughing nervously while I drove the car past the driving school gate. "Seriously?" I thought. "I don't think I'm ready for this yet, what if I crash into someth-"

        Getting out of the driving school area was such a hassle. The exiting junction had the unfortunate luck of being merged with a semi-highway where fast cars reign supreme. I remember having to wait for a few minutes sometimes because there wasn't any opening for me to exit, and when there is an exit, you can bet that I pressed that gas pedal and gripped the wheel like my life depended on it. I even sometimes felt my eyes widening as I tried to get out of there before any other cars catch up with me.

        Such a relief it was when I got on the "normal road". When I reached a red traffic light, I put the gear into Neutral and pulled up the handbrake. Just in case, you know. I got used to swiftly changing the gears and hitting the gas whenever the light turns green because I was so worried that people would judge me for being slow. That reminds me. Remember to press your foot onto the brake pedal whenever you stop, regardless if you have the handbrake pulled up.

        My biggest enemies when it comes to KPP 03 are switching lanes and crossing a junction where cars are coming in from both sides. They were difficult for me to master because there was just so much going on for my minuscule brain to comprehend, not to mention the "fabulous" Malaysian way of driving that's prevalent everywhere here. Expect lots of sudden lane switching by motorists who don't even bother using their signal lights, having a personal crowd of motorcyclists who think it's a smart move to stay extremely close to a learning car, and the fear that will eat you alive whenever a huge lorry is tailing behind you.

Imagine being the red car, trying to cross to the right. Beep beep loser, you just got sandwiched between 2 other cars.

        To all full-fledge drivers reading this post, please, I beg you. Stop driving so close to a learning car. I'm looking at you, motorcyclists.

"But it's easier to just cut them without giving any signal, get in front of them all of a sudden, and be on my merry way!"

"But I, as a motorcyclist, can use them as a slow shield to protect myself from those pesky speeding cars!"

"We get to do what we want on the road since they're all slow peasants! Survival of the fittest!"

        Wow, amazing debate we've spectated here in the annual I'm A Self-Centred Troglodyte Conference! Let's all give a standing ovation!

        Whoops, got a bit carried away there. My message remains standing, though. Anyway, I usually keep a constant speed of 40 km/h on the left lane. Ah, take note of these reminders. You should stay around 30 km/h when driving through a school or housing area. Slow down whenever you see road bumps too, but don't slow down so suddenly that the car behind you can't react quickly. Always use your turn signals, please. You should use them even when you want to switch lanes. It's beneficial to both you and other motorists. Make full use of your side and back mirrors.

        And my most important advice. One that brings back horrible memories flashing before my eyes. One that causes restless nights and growing hatred. One that sent me spiralling into a dark void of deep despair when I didn't follow it.

📢 ➡️ Pull. Up. The. Handbrake. At. A. Stop. Sign. ⬅️ 📢

        I've been told that this is one of the major reasons why people fail their JPJ Road test. How do I know this? Well, you guessed it, I failed my JPJ Road test the first time because of that.

No matter how empty the road is,
no matter how many cars are behind you,
you best be pulling up that handbrake when you see this.

        Other than that, just make sure you wear comfortable shoes when driving so that you can have a smooth ride. Wearing uncomfortable shoes might make you misjudge the pressure you need to exert on the gas pedal and break pedal, causing those annoying sudden brakes.

        I think that's all I have to say about this section. This class is mostly practical so you just have to learn from experience (or read that blog which I linked in my previous post). Oh right, I was allowed to have the air-conditioning system switched on when I was doing KPP 03 so hooray.

        When I finally completed the hours for KPP 02 and 03, I was allowed to book for my QTI test. This is sort of like a trial/mock exam for the real JPJ test and will be conducted by your driving school's instructors. As usual, stick to the school's dress code (if any) and try to be punctual.

        To be honest, I had originally made this blog to share my life experiences in a functional, direct manner. I remember desperately searching through the Internet for any information or another person's experience about something that I might face. I read through various blogs to try to get more insight on the journey of getting a driving licence. Alas, not many blogs give enough information for me to fully comprehend the situation and be able to completely be ready for it. Now here I am, rambling on and on while providing sparse information that is actually useful. Oh, the irony.

🔆 ~Thanks for reading my post and have a nice day~ 🔆

[Part 2] Getting My Driving Licence : Ujian Bahagian I

Please read this post, which is a summary on how to get a driving licence, as well as the previous part(s) before reading this one if you haven't already.

        If you have read my previous posts or are familiar with the procedures in obtaining a driving licence, then you would know that I'll have to do a law-related test after the 6-hour lecture.

        What is this spooky sounding test, you ask? I think I'll just put in all the information you need to know about Ujian Bahagian I (KPP 01) in bullet point form.

• A computerised, MCQ test. Yes, you heard that right. No more worrying about preparing stationery or writing long essays about road regulations.

• You will be tested on eyesight and colour blindness, as well as basic road laws and road ethics.

• You'll be given 45 minutes to complete this test.

• This test can be done at any MyEG or Rilek centre in your area but make sure to book your place first.

• There are 2 "papers" in this test:
• Ujian Kecacatan, Warna dan Penglihatan
• Ujian Bahagian I (Statik)

• Ujian Kecacatan, Warna dan Penglihatan will have questions where they display images and you'll have to choose the correct letter, word sequence, shape, or number shown in the displayed image. Pictures include car number plates, basic colours, and those typical colour blindness test images (you'll know what I mean when you search it up).

• Ujian Bahagian I contains 3 sections:
• Section A (15 marks) mainly focuses on road signs. It's as easy as it sounds as long as you memorise and recognise each sign's function.
• Section B (25 marks) contains questions about rules and ethics on the road. Think of it as a "manners test". You may be questioned about things such as which car goes first in a junction, what to do when your car starts to have problems on the road, and how much distance you should keep between your car and other cars.
• Section C (10 marks) is about the actual road laws, the ones that are written on paper. Don't worry, the ones you'll be tested on should be basic and relevant enough for casual drivers such as most of us.

• Overall, there are 50 questions. You'll need to pass the eyesight test and score at least 42 marks and above for the theory test in order to pass Ujian Bahagian I and earn a Learner's card. That's like 84%.

        Did any of that sound confusing or intimidating to you? If any of them apply, then I have some good news. I may not be able to give assurance that you have nothing to worry about because I know from the experiences of others that this test isn't always a walk in the park, but I can tell you how I managed to score 50/50 and pass the test.

        When I got the date of my test, I started panicking for the rest of the days coming to that date. At first, I tried reading through the driving textbook to prepare myself. The information there is ample, but I need more. Typical me ridden with anxiety. I started searching through blogs and websites, trying to find any detailed information about the test or anyone's experience going through it.

        Alright, I'm starting to get lazy at this point so I'm going to cut this flashback short.

        Get the mobile app called "KPP Test Malaysia" by HII KIING SHI on the Apple Store. It's absolutely free, and I love the clean minimalistic HQ user interface compared to other apps. This app allows you to do practices on the questions, do timed practice tests, read through your past test answers and read analysis on them. The good things about this app are that you can choose to answer the questions in BM or English (did you know this? I didn't the first time) and you can choose your licence type to tailor the questions to said type.

This is how the app looks like. Pretty neat and easy on the eyes.

        The best part? The questions in this app are almost similar to the real test. Trust me 😉. Of course, I didn't know that until I actually did the test in the next few days. I spent days and most of my free time binge practising on this app. I'd keep going until I was able to answer the questions within less than 10 minutes, and score between 48-50 marks. It's safe to say that you'll have to pay more attention to Section C, as that's where a lot of people think "screw it, I'll just wing this while I focus hard on the easier sections".

        I heard that this app isn't available for Android as of this post, so what I can recommend for you guys is this website or any other relevant app available in the Play Store. If you prefer books than screens or are sceptical about these options, then consider getting a question booklet. These kinds of books usually contain around 500 questions, where 50 of these are randomly pulled by the test system for each person's test. I prefer an interactive practice, but to each their own.

        The day has finally arrived and I travelled to the Rilek centre where I registered myself for the test a few days ago. I don't really know what these MyEG or KOMMS/Rilek centres actually are but it doesn't matter as long as I get to do my test. I arrived there pretty early in the morning, probably an hour or two after its opening time. I heard that the place can be pretty crowded during peak hours so do try putting in effort to be an early bird if you hate waiting around.

        This Rilek centre is located in a shop lot row, so it's kind of small like a shop. Once I entered the centre, I was told to queue and take my number. Oh right, parents and agents aren't allowed in the centre, only the candidate who booked a test on that day. There were around 10 people in the waiting area with me, most of them doing last minute readings with their textbooks or question booklets. The room was almost stressfully quiet, save for the sounds of the clerks clicking away on keyboards or chatting with those at the counter.

        When it was my turn, I walked towards the counter and did the usual things. Giving my IC number, scanning my thumbprints, and having my photo taken (with a RM10 fee) for my Learner's card. I was then given a computer number and told to enter the next room for the test. My bag and items had to be placed in a nearby shelf before entering the computer room, though. I wasn't paying much attention to the surroundings as I was nervous about the test. What I can say is that the room is kind of like an ICT lab or a cyber cafe but with dividers for each computer unit.

        Anyway, I sat at my designated computer unit and entered in my information on the screen before proceeding with the test. Remember to set the test to your preferred language. A lot of people assume you have to answer the test in BM, but that's fortunately false. There'll be an option for you to answer the test in English if that's your cup of tea. I know a friend who failed the test because he didn't understand the questions in BM enough to answer them properly.

        Basically, the test just displays a question to you and you choose an answer from 4 options. When you're done with one section, you can continue with the next one. If I remember correctly, you can also choose to skip a question for later if you're unsure of the answer. When you're done, you can choose to go through your answers again and make any amendments if necessary. If you're ready to finish the test, just submit your answers and your results will be displayed on the next page. You'll know right then and there if you passed or failed the test. I was so elated when I saw that I scored 50/50 for my test because I felt like I was overconfidently rushing through in around 10 minutes.

Just hope that you'll get an easy set of questions like I did.

        Anyone who completes their test will be able to leave the computer room and head back to the counter to collect their result slip and "sign out". They can then leave the centre and schedule their practical driving lessons after receiving their Learner's card. Remember to collect back any belongings you may have left at the shelf! If you happened to fail the test, it's okay. Failure is a normal process in life. Just book for another test at another time and keep on practising.

        Oh boy, this post seems to be getting too long. I'll end it by giving a small tip: in any junction, the order of which car in which lane gets to cross first is determined by which lane has a "safer" action. In a T-junction, the car facing the dead end has to give way to the other two lanes before proceeding. A car that wants to travel forward has priority over a car that wants to cross a junction (like an L shape).

🔆 ~Thanks for reading my post and have a nice day~ 🔆