Converting Driving License

10:39 PM / Published by Andy Law / comments (72)

For those who are working in Singapore and want to convert their Malaysian driving license after passed the Basic Driving Theory Test, I would not recommend you to obtain the extract from the JPJ Johor (nearest to Singapore) as the staff there will blacklist your Malaysian license once you obtain the extract. By the way, the extract contains your driving records and particulars. You need the extract in order to get driving license in Singapore.



My friends obtained the extract from JPJ Sarawak and Malacca and their Malaysian license did not get blacklisted. If you are still insisting of getting the extract from JPJ Johor, you need to pay the agents there for RM200 to RM250 in order not to get blacklisted. The agents will usually waiting outside the JPJ building and luring those Malaysians who want to convert their driving license. The agents will give you their company namecards and then settle for you.





I feel that it's something like asking for a bribe. So I refused to pay them as I condemn any sorts of bribery. At first I thought Singapore driving license can be used in Malaysia since my colleagues working there (staying in Johor Bahru) did not get caught using Singapore driving license. After a year, I went back to my hometown only to discover that Singapore driving license cannot be used in Malaysia. I guess it can only be used in Johor Bahru since a lot of people staying there working in Singapore.



I phoned to JPJ Johor Licensing Unit and asked how if I want my Malaysian driving license back. The officer told me to get the extract from Singapore Traffic Police.

Below is the original conversation in Malay.


Me : Selamat pagi. Adakah sini Jabatan Pengangkutan Jalan Johor Bahru?
Operator : Ya.
Me : Boleh sambungkan ke talian Bahagian Perlesenan Pemandu tak?
Operator : Tunggu sebentar ya.

After 15 seconds of waiting.

Officer : Ada apa yang boleh saya bantu, encik?
Me : Saya memerlukan lesen memandu Malaysia saya kerana kadang-kala saya
perlu memandu di Sarawak. Saya dapat tahu yang lesen memandu Singapura
saya tidak boleh diguna pakai di Malaysia.
Officer : Ok, saudara perlu mendapatkan abstrak dari Polis Trafik Singapura. Sama
seperti dulu bagaimana saudara dapat abstrak dari JPJ untuk mendapatkan
lesen memandu Singapura.
Me : Terima kasih, tuan.

I went to Singapore Traffic Police Headquarter at Ubi Avenue 3 near Paya Lebar MRT to get the abstract. Upon payment, the staff gave me the abstract of driving license records. She informed me that I can still keep the driving license as the license is valid for life (no blacklisted). The good thing about Singapore driving license is that we do not need to renew it. There is only one time registration fee of SG$50 and you will get a lifetime license!



After that I went to JPJ Johor Bahru holding the extract with the hope that I can have both Singapore and Malaysia driving license back since Singapore traffic police did not blacklist me. My happiness did not last long when the JPJ staff told me that my Singapore driving license will be PUNCHED if I want to apply my Malaysia driving license back. If like that, I have no more Singapore driving license. Grggghhhhh....damn angry.

Another agent approached me after few minutes.


Agent : Apa kamu mahu? Convert lesen memandu kah?
Me : Saya mahu memohon balik lesen memandu Malaysia saya tetapi diberitahu yang
lesen memandu saya akan dipotong. Saya tidak faham mengapa polis trafik
Singapura cakap boleh simpan lesen memandu Singapura saya tetapi JPJ sini cakap
perlu potong.
Agent : You mahu kekal kedua-dua lesen? Kamu perlu bayar RM350 dan kami boleh
selesaikan dengan cepat.
Me : *WTF! All money, money, money!* Walao, kenapa mahal sangat?
Agent : Sebab sekarang perlu settle dengan dua pihak, pihak yang bertanggungjawab
senarai hitam punya dan satu lagi pihak yang akan 'punch' lesen memandu
Singapura kamu.
Me : kalau macam ini...
Agent : Siapa suruh dulu kamu tak mahu bayar RM200? Dulu hanya libatkan satu pihak,
sekarang dua pihak. Jadi mesti mahal sikit lah.
Me : Ok, tak apa. Saya boleh selesaikan sendiri. Wah, macam ini cepat kaya lah kamu.


After a while he approached another guy who wanted to convert driving license. I am wondering how much can the agents earn per month. No matter what, I will not support bribery even though it involves RM50 only.

So what I can recapitulate here is that try not to get the abstract from JPJ Johor Bahru. Get it from the other states of Malaysia in order not to get blacklisted. If you still want JB, then you pay RM200/250 to the agents.

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