The Star paper recently reported that we can now renew license online and this have been enabled since last year’s April. This makes the system almost 1 year old. So, as a eager citizen, I went to try out the service. The experience brings out some interesting things that the paper does not report. This is what happen to me. A few days back, I renewed my driving license online. There was 3 options of payment and 3 options of license renewal proof. On the payment options, I selected Credit Card, since this is easy for me. There is a service charge of RM2 for every transaction (regardless of method of payment) for this online service. RM2 is ok for not having to leave the house. This brings us to the 3 interesting proof of renewal. First option is to truly without having to leave the house, and have the renewal slip delivered to you (within 5 days). For this option, you will have to pay a courier fee from RM5-10 depending on your location. The second option is to go to the nearest eService center and collect your payment slip. Third option is to go to the nearest eService center and upload the renewal to the MyKad.

Obviously, following the Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi call to change lifestyle over the increase cost of living, I decided to take the cheap option of going to the eService center and collect the payment slip. I glance at the address and it was in Sg. Dua, hastily, I imagined the JPJ at Sg Dua. Just before going over, I called the Penang JPJ office to find out the hours of operation. I told the lady that I renew my license online and would like to go over to JPJ to collect the renewal slip. The lady said that the Sg. Dua office is closed for renovation and moved to Bukit Jambul. I knew the new office and proceeded there during the lunch hour. Upon arriving there, the nice lady over the counter said to me with a smiling face, “Oh, you renew online, you will have to bring 2 photos and RM20 to make a copy of your license!”, I pause for a while. I wasn’t expecting this. I asked her to repeat as I thought I have heard her wrong. She was firm on her stand. I asked why?, She said that the Mykad usage of license is not fully implemented, so everyone are suppose to have a copy of their driving license.

Then I said, well, I have a copy now, I just need the renewed dates supplement. She said because my current license was with old IC number, I have to change a new one. Then I tried to explain to her that, none of this was said online, and the online system was giving the impression that we just need to renew online and we are done. She was firm on her stand, I was frustrated, but I understand her position, as she is just following instructions. Thats fine, so I requested to just upload the renewed license dates to the MyKad. She said she cannot do that also, she keep on insisting that she must produce a copy of my license. I could not give in even if I wanted to, mainly because I went to the JPJ unprepared, I didn’t know I had to bring 2 copies of photos with me, as I don’t usually these things with me all the time. I requested to talk to a superior officer because I felt this was not right. I failed to talk to the superior officer as it was already lunch time when I was done with the lady. What baffled me was a few issues. First, the fact that MyKad cannot be used solely for driving license, then why allow the option (during online renewal) of uploading renewed license into mykad? Second, if I have selected the option to mail the renewal slip (renewed license supplement), I wouldn’t have this problem. Then again, I might be committing a crime, that is assuming the lady over the JPJ counter was right. Which I felt she was not fully briefed as she could not answer my questions on this.

So feeling frustrated of wasted my time at JPJ, I return to my desk and went online again. I tried to renew my license again, and wow, I can continue to renew my license for another year to 2014. So in total, one can renew the driving license up to 6 years, and not just 5. Then I realize a grave mistake I have made earlier. By renewing online, I should collect the renewal slip at MyEG Office named ‘eService center’ and not JPJ. This office is in Sg. Dua oposite USM, close to the PG JPJ office and I did not see the full address. This office is open 6 days a week from 8am – 5pm. Since it opened 6 days a week, I went on a Sunday to collect it.

It was just at the shop lot right in front of the USM Sg. Dua entrance. The shop was located on the 2nd floor and after going up the stairs that smelled like urine, I came to center. It was jam pack, on a Sunday, there were so many youth renewing licenses. There was an old lady manning the desk and juggling between talking to me and taking photo for a young lady. I said I renew online, and she was like, yup, say no more… she flip through her files and whola, my renewed license, sign and off I go.

JPJ Online License Renewal, What’s wrong with it?… Me!

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