Driving License

After 17 sessions of  2hrs driving lessons over a period of 3 months in a driving school, I've finally got my driving license!

Had my first driving lesson on 13th July.  And after 11 sessions, I completed the driving school's 30 lessons subjects  and booked my Practical driving test on 16th August.  The test date was 15th October and there was a 2-months wait. So I decided to take a 7 weeks break before doing a daily intensive revision a week before the actual test.

On Monday, I was still mounting curbs on the narrow courses and almost forgot about my parkings.   Fortunately, my daily intensive revision lessons just before the test this morning helped.  A total of 12 demerit points were given to me, all for road driving. Circuit all clear! Phew! A huge sigh of relief! Yeah!

After getting the test results, all the drivers who passed the practical driving test had to watch a 8minute video on road safety messages. There were lots of pictures of fatal accident scenes due to reckless driving and some horrible videos of actual accidents.  It was like watching 8 full minutes of gruesome horror film. I hope I'm not getting any nightmares later...

Is this necessary? Well... Think it does serves as a good reminder that safe driving is essential. Instead of the usual road safety messages that tells you what to do, here's one that shows you what happened if one drives recklessly. Reverse psychology?

Anyway, I've got my P plate and tomorrow I'm going to try driving Jerome's car :) It's going to be challenging for me as it's a big continental car and Jerome has already briefed me on the differences in the controls. Keeping my fingers crossed...

Farewell Mrs Lee KY

Mrs Lee Kuan Yew (Madam Kwa Geok Choo) considered the mother of Singapore, passed away last Saturday, 2nd October. She was 89.  She was the amazing woman behind our minister mentor Lee Kuan Yew, the father of Singapore. Considered by some to be a man who was stern and 'ruled with an iron hand',  she was according to him, his pillar of strength. The extraordinary woman who was intelligent (she topped the 1936 Senior Cambrige Examination for the whole  of Malaya and Singapore), graceful, meticulous, an ideal wife and partner and a wonderful mother... She has truly lived a life that's extraordinary. A role model that I can look up to.

She had been bedridden after suffering from a series of strokes 2 years back. Yet, he remained faithful and talked to her daily, reading to her her favourite poems. Theirs is a great love story that touches me. Its really a marriage through sickness and health till death does part them...

My heartfelt condolences to our Minister Mentor Lee Kuan Yew, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and family to the loss of their beloved wife and mother. I wish the Lee family strength and the best of health.

Without her and the Lee family, Singapore wouldn't be what it is today.


For death is no more than a turning of us over from time to eternity - William Penn. 

CNA special news report here.

A tribute to Mrs Lee KY-A tower of Strength.

We're living at the Border...

I thought that it was interesting when Jerome's eldest brother made a remark that went something like that...

"Something must be wrong. A sister and her American husband are now in the States (sister's been there for close to 20 yrs). A brother and his family are in Australia, been there for 2 yrs and counting. And another one living at the border..."

Well, Jerome & I are living at the borders of Singapore. We can practically walk to Malaysia via the causeway. And everyday we see more of Malaysia from our windows.

I am a Malaysian but currently a Singapore PR. I have been staying in Singapore with my parents for as long as I could remember. But honestly, I have no desire to return to Malaysia. I think the "One Malaysia" dream will still take a long long time before it will come true.

Singapore has given me a lot of opportunities that I wouldn't have back in Malaysia. I'm glad that my parents moved out of Malaysia and into Singapore in the pursue of a better life. If we were to stay in Malaysia, I would most likely end up as a factory worker or something... Unless my parents are rich, I wouldn't have the opportunity to pursue a tertiary education.

Think Singapore is truly an amazing country and what it has accomplished is nothing short of a miracle. For an almost invisible red dot on the world map (think you'll need a magnifying glass to locate Singapore on the map) with limited land, no natural resources and uneducated people, it has definitely come a long long way to where we are today in just over 40 yrs. As compared to our neighbours who have lots of natural resources, we have developed much faster than all of them despite our limitations. The credit definitely goes to exceptional good governance.

Yes, the cost of living is high. Life can get stressful in Singapore. There are still lots of areas for improvement. But hey, nothing is truly perfect but you must admit that life's still good in Singapore and actually better than in many other countries! Be thankful for all the things that come easily to us. Sometimes I think Singaporeans are too pampered, me included. I do think of myself more of a Singaporean than a Malaysian, having spent most of my life here. Even if you are currently living overseas, enjoying a better quality of life, be thankful about what Singapore has given you so far so that you have more options now. 饮水要思源

So for Singaporeans and residents who like to complain about the 'garmen', don't take everything for granted... This is also a reminder for myself...