BUTTERWORTH: A senior citizen here finally got his motorcycle licence after riding around without one for 40 years.
Retired fisherman, Abu Bakar Manaf, 75, has been riding his motorcycle in and out of Penaga town here without a care all these years, as most of the enforcement officers have let him off without a second look.
But things got even better for him when he approached the Road Transport Department (RTD) roadshow recently and managed to obtain a probationary B2 motorcycle licence in less than three weeks.
“You know, I have tried so many times to get a license. But I have always failed because I am not good with computers and am illiterate.
“And I did not want to get disappointed by sitting for the test and failing,” said Abu Bakar, referring to the computerised Highway Code test.
Through the One Community One RTD programme held in town, he managed to sit for a special test conducted by the department’s officers and passed.
It was thanks to his close friends who encouraged him to head for the department’s month-long roadshow at SMK Seri Muda Penaga.
There, Abu Bakar, like others, paid RM150 to sit through the motorcycle riding course, with tests that were conducted by RTD personnel.
“Outside, I would have had to pay RM450 or more. Thankfully RTD came to my kampung and it was nearby,” he said.
The RTD programme is held in many parts of the country to help rural folk and senior citizens obtain their driver’s licences.
In a special ceremony at SMK Seri Muda Penaga here yesterday, Abu Bakar and 230 senior citizens were presented with their licences by RTD director-general Datuk Seri Ismail Ahmad and guest of honour, Public Services Department director-general Tan Sri Mohamad Zabidi Zainal.
Abu Bakar and three others were given an enlarged version of their licenses, in a frame.
“I am so proud of my motorcycle license, I feel like hanging the frame on the front of my bike!” he said.