Bus Ticket Booking Tips & Cross Border at Singapore Malaysia Customs

How to go from Singapore to Malaysia by bus?

Buying Singapore to Malaysia bus tickets is what most locals like Singaporeans and Malaysians would do as it is cheaper than taking a flight. Or rather, we are more familiar with using a tour coach from Singapore to Malaysia cities despite long travelling hours and perceived horror stories by taking a bus from these two countries.

Decades ago, it was very inconvenient to go from Kuala Lumpur Airport to City Centre as the transport network of train and buses was inadequate. The only mean was taking a taxi which we were often ripped off by the inflated price. Now the transport infrastructure is well-developed and easy to travel from point to point.

Recently, I went on a weekend trip to Kuala Lumpur (KL) from Singapore with one Belgian friend working in Singapore. We stayed in a very chic Impiana KLCC Hotel. I suggested that we took a travel bus to KL though we could also take cheap flights to Kuala Lumpur from Singapore as an alternative. It would then be a memorable experience for her to take a bus from Singapore to KL with someone experienced like me on a road trip to Malaysia.

Both countries are neighbours connected by two bridges in two different customs. Hence, the easy accessibility has brought me to Kuala Lumpur countless times. Eventually, I bought our Singapore Malaysia round-trip tickets online at SGD36 per person (€22.50 / US$26.10). Other than the advantage of being the least expensive, travelling by Singapore to Malaysia bus has several drawbacks that you should be aware of it.

Follow My Kuala Lumpur List on Google Maps

Buying Bus Tickets from Singapore to Other Malaysia Cities

Online Bus Booking from Singapore to Malaysia KL

Online bus booking has made travelling from Singapore to any part of Malaysia very easy. The website that I always use is Easybook.com. If I run out of idea where to go in Malaysia, I would just browse for destinations to see where their buses go. Founded in 2006, Easybook.com was established as a one-stop platform that sells bus tickets in Singapore and Malaysia. They are the largest online booking platform in Southeast Asia with more than 5 million tickets sold online.

• If you are going to Kuala Lumpur, Easybook.com has several departing points all over Singapore. Thus, you can find the location most convenient for you.
• If you are a tourist in Singapore and want to buy a ticket at the counter, go to Golden Mile Complex. The place has a long-standing reputation for travel coaches going to Malaysia.

Many bus companies put up their offer on Easybook.com. Some buses have WiFi, English movies on TV to keep passengers entertained whereas some of them even provide meals with higher bus fares. The features are represented by the icons on the website. I think the above features are not significant when it comes to buying Singapore to Malaysia bus tickets. Roomy seat space that can recline for a good rest during a long journey is more vital. Fortunately, most travel coaches travelling to Malaysia are spacious and even have double-deckers.

» Cheap Bus Travel Insurance

The online bus booking from Easybook.com also pre-ticked cheap travel insurance protection at SGD 1.20 per trip. You can uncheck if you do not want it. I would advise you to buy the insurances considering they are so cheap and affordable. Furthermore, you do not know what will happen on the way with a Singapore to Malaysia bus as many travel coach drivers are reckless. Additionally, I have also heard a lot of nasty accidents about it. Here is what the insurance company covers: –

1 EURO = SGD 1.60    |    1 USD = SGD 1.38

Buying Singapore to Malaysia Bus Tickets at the Counters

There are several bus ticketing agencies in Singapore where you can buy bus tickets to Kuala Lumpur and to other cities in Malaysia. The most well-known location is again at Golden Mile Complex as mentioned above. You can walk around the perimeter of the building and select from a few bus ticketing companies there.

The bus ticketing agencies in Singapore and Malaysia do entertain last-minute bookings if there are still available seats. However, do not try this during peak seasons like the Public Holidays in Singapore and in Malaysia. The buses are usually fully booked during these periods.

Is it cheaper to book Singapore to Malaysia bus online? Likely yes, but it also depends on special service on the bus. Premium services like meal onboard or WiFi will be more expensive. Most travel coaches provide standard services with no food and no internet.

Some bus ticketing agencies charge the same rate at the counter as what they advertise on Easybook.com whereas some do not sell their tickets online. Booking online brings more convenience by saving time. If the website gives discounts during promotions, then you will get a lower bus ticket price from Singapore to Malaysia.

① At the Departure Point

Arrive at the pick-up point 30 minutes before the departure time. Bring along your passport and the printed booking confirmation. Many bus companies accept bus booking confirmation shown from your mobile. The office of my last trip to KL was not open at 8.45 am. Having a printed slip to show the bus driver may make things easier.

② At the Singapore Customs

The bus from Singapore will stop at the Singapore Customs which is either at Tuas Checkpoint or Woodlands Checkpoint. You can leave your bags inside the vehicle while you carry your passport with you for checking. Take your valuables with you.

③ At the Malaysia Customs

When the bus crosses the causeway and reaches Johor Bahru Customs in Malaysia, you have to bring down ALL your belongings to go through scanning in the X-Ray machine. Your passport will be stamped. Make sure the stamp is there. There were past incidents where the customs officers did not stamp on the passports. It caused big problems to the travellers when they entered Singapore later.

④ At Yong Peng Coffee Shop

The travel coach will typically stop at a coffee shop for a 30-minute break in a Malaysian city, Yong Peng. That would be 2 to 3 hours later from Singapore. You can take your meal here or use the washroom. There are usually bus announcements in Malay, Mandarin, and English with the bus number called at the coffee shop. Hence, always remember your vehicle number when before getting down the bus.

Yong Peng Coffeeshop

⑤ On the Way to Your Destination

I would advise you not to drink so much water. Some insensitive drivers will not stop for toilet breaks if no one tells them. They are always rushing to complete the journey as quickly as they can. Inform the driver if you need to use the toilet on the way so he can stop somewhere. Most of the time, the driver will give appropriate toilet breaks, but you can’t always count on that.

⑥ At Kuala Lumpur or Other Cities in Malaysia

After the short pause at Yong Peng, the bus will usually proceed all the way to the destination. However, there are times that the bus will stop at 1 or 2 stops for people to alight in Malaysia.

All the above procedures exist in a reversed manner. This time, at Singapore Customs, you are expected to remove ALL your luggage and shopping bags for scanning. I would like to caution you about bringing duty-unpaid cigarettes from Malaysia to Singapore if you are not aware of Singapore laws.

Prohibition to Bring Duty-Unpaid Cigarettes into Singapore without Declaring at Singapore Customs

The cost of cigarettes in Malaysia is cheap, much cheaper than in Singapore. Thus, it is common for people to buy more than usual in Malaysia. According to the Singapore Customs, one is prohibited from bringing in any duty-unpaid cigarettes from Malaysia into Singapore without declaring.

Either you declare the pack of cigarettes and pax tax at the Singapore Customs even when it is less than half a pack, dump it away, or risk being caught in possession and pay a fine of SGD 200 per packet of cigarettes. Checks are conducted randomly at the Singapore Customs.

What most tourists do not realise is that Singapore Duty-Paid Cigarettes are all marked with the letters ‘SDPC’. In the past, people swapped the cigarettes purchased from Malaysia and put them in a Singapore cigarette pack when SDPC marking was not implemented yet.

People can avoid detection this way as there is no way to differentiate the cigarettes from Malaysia other than the packing. Later, the government became smarter and came up with the idea of marking the cigarettes. Now, the Singapore Customs officers will check the content and watch out for the ‘SDPC’ mark.

After Singapore Customs Clearance

After the passport and baggage clearance at the Singapore Customs, take the escalator down to the bus bay on the ground floor. Look out for your coach number as there will be several buses there. During peak hours, weekends & Public Holidays, security checks on the tour coach generally take some time so be patient. The drop-off point for most buses in Singapore is at the Golden Mile Complex.

How Many Hours to Reach from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur by Bus?

The distance from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur on Google Maps (Show Map)

is approximately 350 km and 4 hours of driving. The bus booking website reflects 5 hours of travelling time. That is only true if you are driving a car at reasonable high-speed non-stop and change lanes on Malaysia road from time to time to a faster-moving lane.

Additionally, there must be no traffic jams on the way too. Well, if you take a Singapore to Malaysia bus, I’m afraid you have to add 2 to 3 hours to the estimated travelling time above. The last Kuala Lumpur trip took me 8 hours with some additional pickup point, traffic jams, etc. I’ll reveal 10 Ugly Truths on Malaysia Express Buses from Singapore You Can’t Avoid.

How to Go to Kuala Lumpur from Singapore with Low-Cost Airlines?

Cheap Flights to Kuala Lumpur from Singapore (SIN to KUL) is not a dream as Malaysia is the neighbour of Singapore. Being a Singaporean, I can suggest two methods which you can travel to various cities in Malaysia easily especially if you would like to spend some days there such as a weekend trip to Kuala Lumpur, Pulau Tioman, etc.

The first way to KUL from SIN is with low-cost airlines with AirAsia, Scoot Air, and Jetstar Asia. I will reveal in this article their hidden costs and what to look out for when you book with these low-cost airlines. Subsequently, you can also read 3 Easy and Cheap Ways to Go to Kuala Lumpur City Centre from KL Airport.

The second way is to go by bus from Singapore to Malaysia in a separate article. However, there are some drawbacks by bus when choosing the less expensive option.

Going to Kuala Lumpur from Singapore is generally inexpensive thanks to the depreciating Malaysian Ringgits (RM) over the last few years. With a good exchange rate, you can spend your weekend in Kuala Lumpur at a 4 or 5-star hotel in Malaysia such as Impiana KLCC Hotel for less than €100 a day. You spend lesser on hotel rooms in most cities in Malaysia.

Cheap Flights to Kuala Lumpur from Singapore with AirAsia, Scoot and Jetstar

If you are looking for cheap flights to Kuala Lumpur from Singapore for low-cost airlines instead of international carriers, purchase your air ticket to KL from the three prominent budget airlines from Singapore. Compare the prices and the departure times between them that are most suitable for you. The travel duration from Singapore Kuala Lumpur Airport is 1 hour.

The prices would not differ much between the three low-cost airlines as they are always actively running a promotion. For me, there is no loyalty or preference to these airlines for an hour short trip. Whoever offers the lowest price with my preferred timing would get the deal. The return air ticket to Kuala Lumpur from Singapore starts approximately €70 onwards.

① AirAsia Singapore to Kuala Lumpur

AirAsia is a low-cost Malaysian airline based in Kuala Lumpur. It has won numerous accolades for being the world’s best low-cost carrier for 9 years in a row for international travel and airline awards, including the latest in 2017. The AirAsia Group operates flights to more than 165 destinations spanning 25 countries. They are the largest airline in Malaysia by fleet size and travel destinations. The operation focuses on the domestic regions of Malaysia.

② Scoot Singapore to KL

Scoot Air, formerly known as Tigerair, is a low-cost airline owned by Singapore Airlines through its subsidiary Budget Aviation Holdings. Headquartered in Singapore Changi Airport, Scoot operates 24 Airbus 320s and 16 Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Scoot is also Asia/Pacific’s Best Low-Cost Airline for 2015. The flight operation starts in June 2012 on medium and long-haul routes from Singapore, predominantly to China and India.

③ Jetstar Singapore to Kuala Lumpur

*Jetstar Asia will cease operations on 31 July 2025 due to restructuring.

Jetstar Asia is an Australian low-cost airline whose head office is in Melbourne. Each week, Jetstar schedules more than 5,000 flights to over 85 places across Australia, New Zealand, Asia, and the Pacific. It is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Qantas to cater to the low-cost market. Even though the highlight of Jetstar air routes prevails in the Australian cities, they have many unbeatable airfares from Singapore to KL which I had booked the most in the past.

9 Tips for Booking Cheap Flights to Kuala Lumpur from Singapore for Low-Cost Airlines

Budget airline companies such as AirAsia, Scoot, and Jetstar earn more revenue when you purchase their additional add-on items. There are so many pushy advertisements on every page that you have to screen them carefully to uncheck the unnecessary before hitting the payment page. Here are 9 tips for you to understand and avoid the hidden cost in them for your ultimate frenzy cheap flights to Kuala Lumpur from Singapore.

|1| Airfare will increase sharply nearer to your planned date

Book your cheap flight to Kuala Lumpur from Singapore at least 3 weeks in advance. The air ticket prices increase gradually on the second last week of your desired date. It is different from international air routes from Europe to Asia because the low promotional airfare can maintain even if you book a few days in advance before the departure date.

|2| Cheaper to book directly from the budget airlines

I had done the research several times when I used these airlines to travel to KL or other parts of Asia in the past. Each time, it was cheaper to book the flights from the low-cost airline directly than from the travel comparison websites. For international flights from Asia to Europe or vice versa, it was cheaper to get the air ticket from a travel comparison website.

|3| Avoid Public Holidays and School Holidays like a plague

The airfares are going to increase two to threefold higher if your range of travel dates coincide with either the Singapore or Malaysia Public Holidays as most people like to go for holidays on these dates. Pick a low peak season, flying at odd hours like 6 am or on a weekday will give you some price advantage.

|4| Pay attention to sneaky, inconspicuous checkbox

Some items are pre-ticked for you online which will add to your overall airfare cost if you are not paying enough attention. Travel insurance, checked-in baggage, seat allocation, and even membership sign-up are a guilty bunch. You have to uncheck items you do not want before paying so as not to pay for them unwittingly.

|5| Free meals are not provided

This point is understood by most people. Avoid buying your food and drinks onboard the low-cost flight because it is expensive. The destination from Singapore to other cities in Malaysia are at most 3 hours of flight time. The duration from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur takes precisely 1 hour. Prepare your own food and drinks to take with you for a short flight.

|6| Selection of seats is not free

Random seats will be allocated to you. When you book for two or more people, all may sit apart. To avoid this, you can purchase ‘preferred seats’ at the start of the booking. The legroom and seat space are smaller compared to standard airlines. They are probably built for petite and shorter people. If you have long legs and need more space, you can buy seats with extra legroom at a low cost.

|7| High credit card processing fees

Unfortunately, you do not get to see the amount of the credit card processing fees upfront until you proceed to the payment checkout where it will be reflected. The cost is SGD 10/flight/person. For example, if you have 2 people travelling to Kuala Lumpur from Singapore on a return trip, it will cost SGD20 (€12.50 / US$14.50) per person, SGD40 (€25 / US$29) in total.

|8| Check-in online where possible

AirAsia charges passengers counter check-in for domestic and international flights in some countries. Similar to RyanAir who imposes an exorbitant fee of €50 on all their flights. However, you can get your boarding pass printed at the airport or via email after checking in online. I have yet to know at this point in time that Scoot and Jetstar do the same thing.

|9| Travel light to cut costs

That goes to say no baggage check-in which can save you some money. For short trips, pack all your clothes in a hand-carry haversack or use the laundry facility in a hotel if you are staying longer. If you have travel luggage to check-in, book it online in advance to avoid a higher cost if you purchase an upgrade later at the counter.

Baggage Fees: AirAsia, Scoot & Jetstar

The baggage fee of AirAsia, Scoot, and Jetstar in Singapore Dollars (SGD) on a table for comparison. I have also converted the currency rate from SGD to EURO and USD for international travellers to refer easily.

• 1 EURO = SGD 1.60
• 1 USD = SGD 1.38

*The baggage fees and conversion rates are correct at the time of writing and may be subject to change.

① AirAsia Luggage Price

② Scoot Airlines Baggage Cost

③ Jetstar Baggage Price

Conclusion

I have to confess that among all my trips to Kuala Lumpur and other Asian cities, Jetstar was the airline that I booked most of the time as it offered the lowest airfare to all my destinations so far after a price comparison. Still the same old trick – No loyalty to any of the three airlines. Whoever gives the cheapest airfare with my preferred timing gets the deal.

I had a craving for North Indian cuisine, especially my all-time favourite food – Papdi Chaat. It is a well-known traditional dish in North India. Just thinking about it while writing makes my mouth drool. The recent authentic Papdi Chaat in Malta that I had was as delicious as those with Zaffron Kitchen @ Westgate. I am not an expert when it comes to Indian cuisine, but I know a good one when I came across it.

After a facial session at Westgate with my mum, we were both hungry. Although we love Chinese food such as Dim Sum @ East Ocean Teochew Restaurant, once a while, we will still come across some lousy Chinese restaurants such as Prima Tower. I wanted to try out something else for a change and convinced my old-fashioned mother to attempt other types of cuisines which she would never try on her own. Hence, she went along with my idea.

Zaffron Kitchen @ Westgate

It was not easy finding a North Indian restaurant out of the blue without planning. Right after I gave up the search after checking the shopping directory display board, we walked past a stylish looking restaurant, Zaffron Kitchen, on the first floor.

Zaffron Restaurant

I stopped to check out the menu displayed outside the restaurant curiously. To my pleasant surprise, it was an Indian food menu! After confirming with the waiter that Zaffron Kitchen served North Indian cuisine, we went inside quickly. Bingo! That was exactly what I was looking for precisely!

Menu Signboard outside Zaffron Kitchen

It was then 2.15 pm and left with only one table of ladies chit-chatting. The closing time was 3 pm before Zaffron Kitchen began their next round of business operating time at 6 pm for dinner. It did not look like a typical Indian restaurant which was why I could not recognise it from far.

The interior was classy and had dim orange light. Zaffron Restaurant had a British Indian-inspired interior design and was highly recommended as a ‘leisure interior’. It also won a lot of awards and recognitions. Some of them were “International Property Award Asia Pacific 2014” and “Best Indian Casual Dining”.

Don’t be fooled! This stylish looking wooden frame was actually an iPad electronic menu.

I was very impressed when a waitress handed us an electronic menu in a classic wooden frame which was really hip! I had never seen such a menu selection design before. The waitress showed us how to select a dish and placed an order on that electronic device.

She said the last order was 2.30 pm, and we had only 15 minutes left. I asked her if she would chase us away if we could not finish the food when the restaurant closed at 3 pm. She said we could stay as long as we want. The kitchen will normally close earlier than the restaurant operating hours.

The electronic menu of Zaffron Kitchen on an IPad looked like the real stuff! So impressive!

I did not want to place my order so quickly as I was so attracted to that lovely electronic device which was an iPad. I also wanted more time to read the menu since I am not familiar with Indian dishes. We ordered just three dishes so we could finish everything fast. I chose Papdi Chaat, Chana Masala and Raita for two people. I wanted to order more food, but we were afraid of not being able to finish it in time.

Papdi Chaat @ S$6.90

Papdi Chaat is a light starter that I will give my two thumbs up. I could eat many plates of this dish alone because the ones in Zaffron Kitchen was so delicious and that left me wanting for more! The crispiness of the wafer, the right combination of yoghurt and mint chutney not only stimulate the taste buds but also looked appetising in the presentation. You must not walk out of Zaffron Kitchen without trying this dish. Indeed finger-licking good and yummy.

Chana Masala @ S$12.50

Chickpeas cooked in a tangy mélange of freshly roasted spices and rich tomato gravy

I would never have enough chickpeas in Indian cuisine. Chana Masala cooked with chickpeas was somewhat dry and spicy with a sour citrus note. This tasty dish would ideally be eaten with naan or rice.

Raita @ S$5.00

Side dish of yoghurt containing chopped vegetables and spices

The yoghurt delight of Raita is flavourful and sour. It will be well-liked by people who fancy a rich and creamy taste. The serving came in a small bowl which was just the right size for appreciation. Otherwise, the side dish might be overpowering for those who are not used to consume too much yoghurt.

Overall, I would like to patronise Zaffron Kitchen again and savour their other delectable specialities such as the Butter Chicken. I would not hesitate to recommend this Indian Restaurant. Try it at least once at Westgate or its East Coast branch to relax in their chic decor. Of course, do try out the ultra-delicious Papdi Chaat!

Zaffron Kitchen

https://www.zaffronkitchen.com/

East Ocean Teochew Restaurant | 东海潮州酒家 at Ngee Ann City, near to Takashimaya, does not serve only Teochew cuisine, but also well-known for its famous Hong Kong Dim Sum. Almost 30 years of long-standing reputation for being the pioneer for its unique cuisine fusion, four of us then proceeded to East Ocean Restaurant to test out the Dim Sum. The Teochew Cantonese restaurant was recommended by my brother, who was full of praises for its delectable Dim Sum after a recent visit.

Mini Egg Tart • 酥皮鸡蛋挞

Diving straight to the first dish opened up my appetite immediately as Mini Egg Tart | 酥皮鸡蛋挞 was my all-time favourite. Many restaurants may have different methods to bake the egg tarts, and so the taste varies. I was wild with excitement when I had my first bite. The crispy pastry and the smooth palatable egg yolk made the egg tart perfect! It was so heavenly that I ordered the second round. Remember to order the Mini Egg Tarts when you go to East Ocean Restaurant.

The Dim Sum chef should have a high standard to mould the crust, so the crumb adheres and does not fall all over the place. The egg yolk must be smooth and tasty. Thus, the surface will not have unsightly holes or bubbles and to have an appealing presentation. Some of the egg tarts I have tried before had too much sugar added. Over at East Ocean Restaurant, the mini egg tarts were perfectly baked!

Three Kinds of Roasted Meat Assortment • 烧味三拼盘

A marvellous start of the tasty appetiser tart made me filled with anticipation to try out the second dish – Three Kinds of Roasted Meat Assortment | 烧味三拼盘 – Roasted Duck 烧鸭, Roasted Pork 烧肉 and Char Siew 叉烧. The assorted meat was well-presented and savoury.

Pork Stomach Soup with Pepper & Salted Vegetable • 胡椒咸菜猪肚汤
Steamed Prawn Dumpling • 水晶鲜虾饺

Pork Stomach Soup with Pepper & Salted Vegetable | 胡椒咸菜猪肚汤 was the cream of the crop in East Ocean! I ordered it frequently at the hawker centres and coffee shops and have never tried it in a restaurant before. Therefore, I was curious about how the soup preparation in a restaurant would differ from outside.

My gosh! The soup was so flavoursome and distinctive that it certainly made all the others paled off in comparison instantly. It was undoubtedly the best Pork Stomach Soup that I have ever had in my life! Even my Belgian boyfriend who had never tried it before was sharing and fighting with me till the last drop of it.

He was vehemently praising the soup and reminded me often about it even when we live in Belgium now. Thanks to this Pork Stomach soup, he knows how to appreciate eating animal’s organs in Chinese restaurants. The restaurant must have used high-quality ingredient and seasoning to brew this soup, especially the strong pepper which gave this soup an exceptional taste.

Next to the soup was Steamed Prawn Dumpling | 水晶鲜虾饺, more commonly known in Cantonese as Ha Kau. I felt that prawn dumplings everywhere have no differentiation as they taste the same at every restaurant that I have eaten. As I had strong-flavoured peppered soup earlier, it also rendered the shrimp dumplings somewhat tasteless as well.

Steamed Shrimp Rice Roll • 鲜虾肠粉

Steamed Shrimp Rice Roll | 鲜虾肠粉 was also another dish that was average in rating. It tasted as bland as the Prawn Dumpling as the sauce tasted mild too. The best combination is Char Siew 叉烧 with Rice Roll as the glazed honey pork would enhance the bland taste of rice roll instead of using shrimps as the main ingredient.

Deep-Fried Crispy Chives • 脆皮韭菜角

Deep-Fried Crispy Chives | 脆皮韭菜角 did not meet my expectation. I ordered this Dim Sum as I love the flavour of chives so much that I was looking forward to it. To my disappointment, this plate didn’t have what it took to delight me. The fragrance of chives diminished in that pot of oil. It might be overcooked.

Deep-Fried Beancurd Skin Prawn Roll • 鲜虾腐皮卷

Deep-Fried Beancurd Skin Prawn Roll | 鲜虾腐皮卷 is one hot favourite Dim Sum among us. Hearing the crunchy sound when your teeth sink into it is part of the gastronomic experience. Is it the same for you too?

Deep-Fried Salad Shrimp with Mayonnaise • 沙律明虾角

Deep-Fried Salad Shrimp with Mayonnaise | 沙律明虾角 dipped with mayonnaise is one of the tastiest Dim Sum plates of all times that never fails. Of course, I’ll say yes to it too!

East Ocean Dim Sum

We also had Steamed Teochew Dumpling | 潮州蒸粉果, Steamed Siew Mai | 家乡烧卖皇, Steamed Spare Ribs | 鼓汁蒸排骨 which were not in the photos. The steamed spare ribs that my father made at home tasted better than what East Ocean had as he is also a Dim Sum chef in a reputable Chinese restaurant. In short, the taste of their Steamed Pork Ribs was not that flavoursome and could give it a miss.

Steamed Custard Layered Cake • 奶皇千层糕

Steamed Custard Layered Cake | 奶皇千层糕 looked very tempting and a guaranteed recipe to get fat. The dessert was sweet and a delight to eat near the end of our hearty brunch.

Steamed Custard Bun • 黄金流沙包

Steamed Custard Bun | 黄金流沙包 was another East Ocean dessert that was mouth-watering and on the must-order list. Imagine the creamy warm custard squashing out into your mouth when you bite them. Be careful that the custard can still be hot at times.

Chilled Honey Dew Sago • 密瓜西米露
Chilled Mango Sago with Pomelo • 杨枝甘露

Finally, to wrap up my Dim Sum review on our sumptuous food in East Ocean Teochew Restaurant, we had Chilled Honey Dew Sago | 密瓜西米露 and Chilled Mango Sago with Pomelo | 杨枝甘露 as desserts. On the top right of the photo was the second round of Mini Egg Tart 酥皮鸡蛋挞 which lingered in my mind throughout the meal. Eventually, I ordered it for the second time because it was worth relishing.

Overall, the Dim Sum in East Ocean Teochew Restaurant was worth the visit as the food was delicious, and the service level was commendable. Comparing it to Prima Tower Revolving Restaurant review, the food and customer service was so much better! Furthermore, before or after lunch or dinner on the 5th floor at Ngee Ann City, one can go shopping at Takashimaya!

The birthday lunch to Ssikkek Korean Grill BBQ Buffet | 食客 was from a friend, who had bought the discount coupon online. Ashamed to say, it was my first time eating Korean Grill BBQ. I have never been to any before as I felt that it was rather pricey for mostly meat varieties.

At the Ssikkek Korean Grill BBQ buffet line, the selection of vegetable was little. There were a lot of meats, marinated and non-marinated. I was not a beef eater then and thus had to skip on marinated beef.

The Ssikkek Korean Grill BBQ food was to my liking. I find the marinated meat and prawns delicious to eat. I was taught by my friend to eat the BBQ meat together with the lettuce and garlic.

We had quite a lot of food, for almost 2 hours, eating slowly and talking. The free flow of drinks provided by them was horrible. It was supposed to be ‘some juice’, but ‘the so-called juice’ tasted like water. Too much water was added and diluted the concentration of juice tremendously. Fortunately, the gratifying food made up for it.

Towards the end of the meal, my friend had a migraine suddenly. The BBQ food might be overly heaty for her as we did not drink enough water. I did not have the same side effect as her at that time. In the middle of the night when I slept, I woke up with a painful sore throat and deduced that it was just too heaty for some people to eat BBQ food.

After that meal, I will try out other Korean grill BBQ just for the juicy marinated meat. I thought it was something special with every different sauce. I had a fleeting thought that operating a Korean Grill BBQ was ‘easy money’ to earn literally. There are so many BBQ meat lovers in Singapore and preparation of the food seems easy. Just marinate with all the tasty sauces and then get us hooked!

When I travelled to Korea many years ago, the Taiwanese local tour guide criticised that Koreans were the worst cooks in history as they did not know how to cook. Most of the food was preserved (腌). Still, I felt there will always be people who appreciate the way it is prepared especially for meat and Kimchi lovers!

After the heavy lunch, my friend suggested somewhere for coffee and a place for us to cut the birthday cake that she had brought for me.

Overall, for meat lovers, Ssikkek Korean Grill BBQ Buffet | 食客 is still one of the best Korean BBQ buffets in Singapore after having tried a few more restaurants afterwards. There are two Ssikkek Korean Grill BBQ Buffet outlets that I know – Chinatown and Tanjong Pagar. You can purchase the coupon online here from Klook below for S$51.00.

Prima Tower: The Worst Dining Experience Ever that Left Me Speechless

What you are going to read is a discouraging negative review of Prima Tower Revolving Restaurant | 百龄麦旋转酒楼 at Keppel Road some time ago. I had a degraded impression of the food and the service level ever since. It was the worst restaurant in Singapore for dining with a below-average food standard for such a high price that left me speechless.

If you are thinking of using Prima Tower for your wedding venue, it is better that you have a food tasting session like a regular walk-in customer instead of having the restaurant pre-arranged for you because they know you are going to be their potential customer, so the quality of food served might be higher.

In spite of a bad review, to be fair to Prima Tower Restaurant, the food quality will differ each time when there is a turnover of chefs. That goes for the managers and captains to take the initiative in providing excellent customer service. It happens to all food establishments.

Be careful of getting your vehicle wheel-clamped at Prima Tower Parking before 6 pm

By Car: Prima Tower Parking

A bad omen at the start of the dinner at Prima Tower: I parked my car at Prima Tower open space carpark after entering its gate at 4.30 pm. Then, I walked over to Vivo City to pass my time. When I went back to the carpark at 6 pm, my car was wheel-clamped! I approached the security guard. He told me that the guests could only park there after 6 pm.

The security officer would release the wheel clamps ONLY if I produced the Prima Restaurant’ receipt to prove that I was not lying about having dinner there. I complied and did what he said a few hours later. He released my wheel clamp after dinner at around 10.30 pm. From a customer’s point of view, having dinner knowing that your car was still being clamped already dampened the mood.

A word of advice: If you want to park at Prima Tower before 6 pm, inform the security guard beforehand. Tell him you will be dining at Prima Restaurant later to avoid the embarrassment of being wheel-clamped and shocked the hell out of everyone at Prima carpark. The feeling will always be very uncomfortable when you see your car being wheel-clamped.

By MRT: Harbourfront Station

The nearest MRT station to reach Prima Tower Revolving Restaurant is HARBOURFRONT (NE1/cc29). The distance is 600m and 8 mins of walking. You can pass by Vivo City and then use the overhead bridge to cross over to Prima Tower. (Show Map)

My two best friends had their birthdays in July. I treated them to dinner at Prima Tower Revolving Restaurant next to Vivo City. A few years ago, I went for a corporate dinner there. The food was excellent and unforgettable. Hence, I wanted to give my best friends a similar fantastic experience on their birthdays.

Not only that, one will get to see a panoramic view from the silo of the tower around the Vivo City and a glimpse of Sentosa, the sea and the PSA Harbour while the tower revolved slowly in 360°. Wasn’t the idea impressive and exciting to dine in the air, uniquely watching the breathtaking scenery in this manner?

Prima Revolving Tower Restaurant is a posh restaurant with a luxurious-looking dining hall. It is a top-notch restaurant for flaunting it to business associates, foreign guests or people significant in our lives to appreciate their presence. That was the perceived value of Prima Tower and one of the most classy restaurants around.

However, the extravagant price that one has to pay to dine in such a sophisticated restaurant with a panoramic view can be a turnoff, especially when the food is lousy. One can also get good food without bells and whistles. Nevertheless, since I have decided to pamper my friends with a memorable dinner, the price was the last thing to consider in my mind, at least for this time.

The Captain or Manager of the restaurant was not happy when my boyfriend and I arrived at 6.10 pm. He told us coldly that the restaurant commenced its business at 6.30 pm and remarked that we could sit at our table to wait while they prepared their things. He also warned that there would be some noise during their preparation.

I replied that it was not a problem and all my friends would arrive at a later time too. There was not a smile or any sign to make us feel welcomed as customers in that short conversation. He gave a strong body language that we were disturbing their work by turning up early. His facial expression spelt it out clearly.

We ordered a Special Set Menu 精美套餐5 @ S$288.00 for 6 pax even though there were only 5 of us. The price excluded 7% GST and 10% Service Charge.

①  Shredded Scallops with Fish and Egg White | 赛螃蟹

The first dish served was one of the menu highlights. There was nothing extraordinary to rave about this item as it only had eggs with no special sauce. It was bland like ‘home-cooked scrambled eggs’, but considered to be the more acceptable dish among the rest *gosh*. My friends didn’t have a high opinion of it either.

Err… This was the only food photo that I took during dinner…

② Fish Maw & Seafood in Thick Soup | 鱼鳔海鲜羹

This soup was rated higher than the first dish. Almost all the food sucked big-time. Be warned again of the complaints that were shared below as they were not going to be positive. It would be the last time that I was going as a paid customer.

③ Authentic Barbecued Peking Duck | 烤北京填鸭

The Peking Duck was another signature dish that Prima Tower Revolving Restaurant boasted. It was over-rated. One could only taste the sweet sauce that was spread too much inside the wrap. I could not relate this signature dish to the traditional taste of Peking Duck as it was a complete failure in the preparation. Comparing the Peking Duck in Johor that I had eaten one week ago versus the Singapore one, our neighbour’s duck tasted so much better than the premium duck here.

④ Deep-Fried Soon Hock | 油浸顺壳

The Soon Hock was too old and had no sweetness of what a fresh fish would be. Furthermore, the sauce was also tasteless. A real disappointment, indeed! Usually, most Chinese restaurants serve fresh, high-quality fish, and that is the reason why we pay so much to eat fish in a restaurant.

⑤ Stewed Pork Ribs (Served With Buns) | 京烤骨皇 (代花卷)

The sauce of the Stewed Pork Ribs was thick and sticky. The pork was far from being delicious. It tasted utterly disgusting when it turned cold due to the starchy sauce which made swallowing of the pork seemed nauseating.

⑥ Chinese Spinach with Whole Garlic in Superior Broth | 上汤蒜子灼苋菜

The name of “Superior Broth” didn’t befit the dish at all. It did not taste like any distinctive broth, but more like the usual oyster sauce used to cook Chinese food. Moreover, the flavour was diluted. The vegetables were stale too. This dish was another additional failure to the list.

⑦ Yi-Mee | 伊面

We asked the remaining duck meat to fry with Yi-Mee, which was an additional order, not inclusive in the Special Set Menu. Needless to say more, after so many rounds of miserable food and criticisms among us, we did not expect the standard to be of any higher.

⑧ Toffee Banana | 拔丝香蕉

Our dessert was fried banana coated with malt. The dessert was failed proof because the bananas were already sweet. It was the best consolation here as agreed by all my friends harmoniously. Please note that the crust is hard due to the malt syrup coating which hardens it. Some people may not like that the sticky malt can stick around the teeth. For nice desserts, go to Hong Kong Sheng Kee Restaurant.

Despite paying for a high price, the dishes served consecutively was like a high-speed train. It was similar to attending a local banquet Chinese wedding where the aim is to make you finish the food as quickly as possible, rather than let a customer take the time to savour the already not-so-nice food and to indulge in the chit-chatting session with friends.

We requested the waitress to slow down the serving of the dishes for a few times. She gave a helpless expression indicating that there was nothing she could do. The subsequent dishes served were still like lightning speed, urging us to finish them fast. One friend claimed that the goal was to finish serving all the food when the tower revolved one round. Not sure how true it was.

I had forgotten to take photographs of the rest of the dishes. As the waitresses served the food so fast, our focus was shifted to gobble up the food, make more space on the table for the next one to come while they cleared away the ‘finished’ plates. Most of the food had 50% leftover as none of us could finish the awful food despite trying hard to stuff it into our hungry stomach.

When dining in a good quality Chinese restaurant that has outstanding customer service level, the staffs would usually change the dirty plates every few rounds, especially after the prawn or fish were served without the customers asking. I doubt the staffs had the time to do it as their priority was to serve food quickly.

All the staffs left at 10.15 pm sharp on a Friday night. That was considered early for a typical Chinese restaurant to close at that time, taking into consideration that it was full-house on that night. The desire to knock off earlier explained why they served the dishes in a rush so we would finish them fast and they could also knock off early.

I empathised that they worked long hours in the F&B industry and would love to go back early. However, they should not compromise their food quality and service level at the expense of customers paying a much higher price than other restaurants.

Nearly $90 per person for dinner and was a severely disappointing experience in Prima Tower Revolving Restaurant. I had a corporate dinner there in 2013. The delectable food and the grandiose interior was the reason why I brought my precious friends to have a grand birthday celebration.

The fundamental value of a restaurant is the quality of food. Consequently, people tend to associate expensive dishes as being of high quality. Criteria such as food freshness, excellent service level are all within the expectation of every dollar and cent of a paying customer.

One of my friends had severe gastric pain during dinner. She had no medical history of it. Another friend had two diarrhoea that night after returning home. I was not blaming their sickness with the food that we ate as I had no proof. However, I was highly doubtful about the freshness of the food as we were complaining about it throughout the night and the way the cooks handled the food preparation. Two friends’ sicknesses were just testimony to the food freshness and hygiene level.

Corkage Charge

You have to pay $20 corkage charge for the alcohol if you bring your own.

Prima Tower Dim Sum

Several friends left feedbacks on my Facebook, reviewing that their Dim Sum was good. You decide whether to take the risk to pay for the possibility of rushed service or not-so-nice food, or to try another more reputable restaurant such as East Ocean Teochew Restaurant. I have been there before, and the dim sum is very delicious too!

Translucent Ladies’ Toilet Door

The Ladies’ toilet door located one floor below the restaurant was translucent. You could make out the silhouette and every movement of the person inside the toilet.

Visit Prima Tower Restaurant only for enjoying the view of the magnificent skyline, or to impress someone. As for the food, keep your finger crossed. It was the most disappointing dining experience in a Singapore restaurant in my life that one should avoid. I also came across a friend’s FB post recently, ranting about the bad quality of the food. Therefore, I was not the only one who had a negative review of it. I would rather eat nice Indian food like Zaffron Kitchen.

The presence of my dearest friends was the best consolation @ Prima Tower

Hong Kong Sheng Kee Dessert | 香港盛記甜品 established in 2010 and had a chain of dessert shops at various locations in Singapore. It also has branches overseas in Malaysia, Indonesia and Malaysia. My three friends and I decided to have our desserts on the first floor of IMM Building in Sheng Kee Dessert after a hearty dinner.

The dessert presentation on the menu was very attractive and looked appetising. We wanted to try as many desserts as our stomach could fill. I dislike desserts that were overly sweet. A skilful Dim Sum chef should know how to control the amount of sugar added into the dessert. Sheng Kee Dessert is capable in this aspect and won huge praises from us.

The Handmade Mushroom Pau | 手工蘑菇包 (S$3.30) in a plate of two were creatively made and looked very cute. The bun was moulded to look like a mushroom, and well, mushrooms were the main filling. They were fundamentally not sweet at all. That was also what I like about it. The taste was unique as I have never experienced a mushroom bun before, let alone a pretty one.

Mini Yolky Custard Bun | 香滑流沙包 (S$2.90), a basket of three pieces was another sweet delight with a mixture of savoury fillings of Salted Egg Yolk and Sweet Custard. What a perfect combination! One has to be careful when handling and eating them. Do not eat when it is too hot. Do not split it into two as the custard will leak like molten lava. As we divide the bun into two, the filling flowed all over the plate and created a messy sight.

I insisted on ordering the Mango Glutinous Roll | 芒果糕劵 (S$7.50) which came in four pieces as I love mango dessert. Mangoes are usually sweet, but with the combination of the glutinous roll, the sugary kick mellowed. The fragrant mango flavour aftertaste lingered in the mouth from the dripping mango cream. Yummy!

At Sheng Kee Dessert, the jelly series were virtually eye candy. We ordered all the three varieties that were available on the menu. Osmanthus Jelly | 桂花糕 (S$3.90) used dried osmanthus flowers which gave a mild flavour. It is not easy to distinguish the fragrant from eating them. In some other places not in Sheng Kee where I have tried the same type of Osmanthus Jelly, the taste very very mild to bland too.

Just to add a little bit more information about the Osmanthus flowers. They have medicinal properties like antioxidant activities which help to promote beautiful skin. When coupled with the natural goodness of wolfberries, it is a healthy dessert to relish. Therefore, eat more of it!

Who can resist the temptation of Mango Combination Series | 辎肩香恽阚语 and Signature Combination Series | 辎肩三鲐秦 just by looking at them without ordering? They made one drool by just casting a glance. It is ideal for those who want to try three different types of desserts for the price of S$7.50 per plate.

Green Lime with Plum Juice | 青柠酸梅 (S$3.90) was the ideal drink to select on the drink menu. It is a drink blended with the appropriate level of sweetness and sourness. We knew it, so the three of us ordered this drink from the menu.

Hong Kong Sheng Kee Dessert in IMM Building undoubtedly has one of the best desserts around with a high standard of service at Sheng Kee, IMM. The staffs were as sweet as the dessert, making sure that we enjoy the desserts as much as they served. I will return as a satisfied customer as, over the years, I have trusted Hong Kong Sheng Kee Dessert to have the best dessert in Singapore whenever I think where to go for the best dessert cafe in Singapore.

For one of the best Dim Sum in Singapore, check out East Ocean Teochew Restaurant and for the best Indian food in Jurong, go to Zaffron Kitchen @ Westgate.

Course Procedures to Get Your Private Hire Car Driver’s Vocational License (PDVL) and Become a Private-Hire Driver

So you want to become a Private-Hire Driver and make it your full-time job or to earn extra cash after attending the Grab PDVL Course? Here are step-by-step procedures of what to expect in 3 months after applying for the PDVL course. Even though one goes through the PDVL test arrangement through Grab, it does not stop one from joining other similar companies like Gojek, Ryde and more as such companies sprout gradually in Singapore.

Before throwing a letter and kissing goodbye to your current job, be forewarned. Being a full-time Grab driver is not as lucrative as one thinks or reads in the newspaper!

The full-time driver with a rented car has to work long hours, typically an average of 10 hours for 6 to 7 days a week to consider himself as ‘earning a decent income’. Those reported figures of earning $5 to $6k per month are GROSS income. After deducting the cost of your car rental and fuel, you are basically left with peanuts.

The estimated time length to get a PDVL is approximately 3 months after the application. As more and more people go through the PDVL course, the waiting time will be shorter. If the negative factors and unreal perception of being a Private-Hire Driver do not daunt you, then read on…

11 Sep 2018, Tue

I went to Grab Registration Office at #01-143 Midview City, 28 Sin Ming Lane to apply for my PDVL course on a Tuesday afternoon after 3 pm. I took a queue number from the counter. The waiting time was not very long as there were not many people at that time.

First-Time Registration with Grab Centre

After your number is called, a Grab staff will help you to apply for the PDVL course to LTA on our behalf. You should bring along the following documents for ease of registration:

• NRIC
• Driving License
• ‘O’ Level or other Certificate to prove at least a D7 pass in English or Workplace Literacy (WPL) programme pass in English (level 3 or higher)
• One passport size photograph
• $40 Non-Refundable PDVL Application Fee (Nets or Credit Card – No Cash)
• SATA Health Screening Result

If you do not have a photo, the Grab staff can take one for you on the spot. Make sure your photograph complies to LTA standard. That is your facial features must not be covered, especially the eyebrows.

LTA sent me an email one week later to say that my photo did not conform to the standard and asked me to resend it via the online portal.

SATA Health Screening Sponsored by Grab

A general occupational health screening check is compulsory for Private-Hire drivers to be free from tuberculosis at any SATA centre. If you want to get a free health check sponsored by Grab, ask for the Medical Authorisation Form during the registration process.

Proceed to any SATA centre as soon as possible for the checkup. The medical screening result will take about 2 weeks and then sent directly to Grab and to LTA subsequently. However, you will not receive any information about your health status from SATA Centre.

After LTA received your medical screening result from Grab, I was told by the Grab staff that the estimated waiting time for the approval of the PDVL course application was 7 to 14 days. In summary, I would have to wait for 3 to 4 weeks in total before I would hear anything from LTA about the PDVL Course (which was untrue…). After receiving the PDVL Course Approval Letter from LTA, one could proceed to book the course.

What You Need to Know for the First Visit to Grab Centre

The above information is what you need to know for the first visit. You may be tempted to ask more about the car promotions and rental prices since you are already there. You do not have to do it at this point in time. By the time, the car promotions will have expired after 1 to 2 months later. You may still not get your Grab PVDL course date yet.

Furthermore, the staffs of car rental companies have no interest in entertaining you if you have not passed your PDVL Test. All these pieces of information can wait until you pass the test later as too many details are often overwhelming on the first visit.

As with regards to GrabCar promotion, you can always call to ask about the current incentive instead of asking at the Grab Centre. There are usually many interested parties registering or enquiring at the Grab office. The environment is upbeat, but the Grab staffs are mostly very professional, polite and helpful after being there for a few times.

12 Sep 2018, Wed

I went to SATA Jurong the next day on Wednesday afternoon after 2 pm with the Medical Authorisation Form by Grab. I did not have to pay a single cent with that form. If you go to the checkup without that form, you have to pay from your own pocket. I was also told that if you decide to join another Private-Hire company later instead of Grab, which was the one sponsoring your medical checkup, you are free to do so.

Choose Grab as a sponsoring company for your medical checkup because after you begin driving with Grab and complete 100 rides within the first 3 weeks, you are entitled to a $100 incentive. Not a bad deal, right? $100 extra + free medical health screening.

Anyway, there were only a handful of people in SATA Jurong Centre. It took only 25 minutes to get all the health screening done including registration. I also did x-ray and eyesight check. Then, a female Chinese doctor, Dr Wong Lim checked my blood pressure and asked about my medical history. There was barely any waiting time from one point to another. Overall, the time taken for the procedure was faster than I had expected after reading all the negative reviews about medical check-up in SATA Centres. All the staffs and the doctor attending to me were very professional too.

After you have registered in Grab Centre and performed the medical checkup, you can relax and wait for the PDVL Course Approval Letter to come.

Grab ExpressOne Course

Before I went down to Grab Centre for the first time, I sent a WhatsApp to the number on Grab ExpressOne which promised to get a PDVL in 3 to 5 weeks to speed up my course application. However, the person on the other end would still ask you to go down to Grab Centre and registered nonetheless. Subsequently, they had removed the number a few weeks later, which implied that they are not able to fulfil this promise to get your PDVL within the stipulated time.

Calling up LTA 3 times to Speed Up PDVL Course Approval Letter

It was a pack of lies as a marketing strategy. With the number of applicants currently, you would never get your PDVL course date as promised. I applied for the course on 11 September 2018. Guess what? I had to call LTA three times and gave them sob-sob stories so they could speed up my application as I had waited for more than 3 weeks, and the letter still had not arrived.

When you call up LTA to enquire, they will always verify that first, you had paid for your previous Medisave contribution (if any) and there should be no outstanding amount owed to CPF. Without a clean record will impede the procedure.

13 Nov 2018, Tue

After begging them to put me on the priority list, the staffs over the line also agreed that I had waited too long for the PDVL Approval Letter to come. I finally received the letter of approval on the 13 November 2018, two months after my PDVL Course Registration.

I had also asked one friend who applied for a Taxi Vocational Driving License (TDVL) in early 2018 about the waiting time. It also took him 3 months to get his PDVL license.

My classmates in PDVL Course told me that they had also waited 2 months for the Approval Letter to come. Therefore, I knew 2 months of waiting time was the norm. It also has to depend on the number of applicants for the PDVL Course during the time of application.

What Do You Need to Bring for PDVL Course Registration in Grab?

These are the following items that you need to bring with you when registering for a PDVL Course at Grab Centre:-

• Approval Letter by LTA
• Cash $26.75
• One Key Token / Mobile to log in to SingPass for SkillsFuture Claim $128.40

If you are not using your SkillsFuture Credit, then you have to pay $155.15 in cash. There are also ATM in Midview City where you can draw money too. SkillsFuture Credit will be deducted a few days before your course starts. The amount will be reimbursed to Singapore Taxi Academy (STA) later.

» Breakdown of PDVL Course Fee

Here is a breakdown of what you are paying for $155.15.

• Course Fee $107.00
• Test Fee $10.70 + $5.35 per test paper (x2)
• Training Materials $26.75
  • 1 x Singapore Street Directory
  • 1 x copy of the textbook – Driving in Singapore
  • 6 x set of Course Notes
  • 2 x Mock Papers (Paper 1 and 2)

PDVL Course Registration @ Grab Centre, Midview City

17 Nov 2018, Sat

I went to Grab Centre #01-11 to book a PDVL Course on 17 November at 2 pm. Before going there, I discovered that my ATM card had expired. I panicked and called Grab to ask if an ATM card was needed. The man said no as I only had to pay $26.75 in cash.

I had the amount with me, so I proceeded to Grab. There were 3 people ahead of me, but the waiting time was almost one hour! When it was my turn, I was given a PDVL Course date on 3 December 2018, and the PDVL Test on 10 December 2018.

The lady helped me with SkillsFuture Credit claim on the spot. Suddenly, the damn OneKey token was not working as well not to my knowledge! She said I could also pay $155 in cash if I chose not to claim from SkillsFuture Credit, but my ATM card was not working too. How lucky could I get to have two things failed on me on the same day? I had to go back in the next few days as it was just not my day.

22 Nov 2018, Thu

I went to Grab the following week on 22 November 2018 and arrived there after 4.30 pm. There was no one there this time, so I didn’t have to queue. This time, the man gave me the earliest course date on 12 December 2018 and the test date on 19 December! Wow! The PDVL course was filled up pretty fast.

Just 5 days apart and the PDVL Course date was scheduled one week later from the original 3 December 2018 given to me on the first visit. By default, the PDVL test date will be 7 days after the PDVL Course unless you want to book a different test date during the course registration.

12 Dec 2018, Wed

The full-day PDVL Course takes place in Singapore Taxi Academy (STA) @ Kim Yan Road on the 4th floor from 9 am to 6 pm. There will be at least 2 classes on the 4th floor. One is for PDVL, and the other is the TDVL (Taxi Driver’s Vocational License). Check your name against the board outside the classroom, so you do not enter into the wrong class. The class size is a maximum of 25 participants.

One advice is that if you decide to enrol in the PDVL Course, select a week where you can dedicate your time to study as the test is only one week away. There are so many chapters to revise that you will feel that one week is never enough. Put your energy and time for that one week as you just need to take the dreadful exam for only one time in your life. After that, you will go through a refresher course once every 6 years with no more test.

Proper Attire

The instructor was very strict with the dress code. Whether you are a man or a woman, all participants must wear a collared shirt, polo-tee or a collared jacket. There were a few jokers in the class who did not adhere to the dress code. Hence, the instructor asked them to get their collared jacket from their vehicle. Those who could not find one were asked to seek advice from the admin staffs. Therefore, make sure you wear a collared top with long pants and covered shoes to avoid all these unnecessary inconveniences.

Textbook and Course Notes

You will receive a box with 1 Street Directory, 1 thick book on Driving in Singapore, 6 sets of course notes (1.1 to 1.2, 2.1 to 2.4) and 2 mock papers (Paper 1 and Paper 2). Bring a haversack big enough to carry these materials.

Participants who take PDVL Course do not need to study for the 2.2 paper as it is for the TDVL Course. The thick book on Singapore Driving and the 5 sets of course notes is enough to keep you busy for one week.

I’m pretty convinced that you will not be able to finish reading and memorising everything from the notes and book when you look at the amount of information to digest. Quite intimidating, I would say.

My Feedback on the PDVL Course

Some of my classmates and I did not think that our instructor did a brilliant job to explain the essential points of the course. He kept on emphasising how difficult it was to pass and that many of us might not be able to make it.

On the other hand, he always deviated from the topics and joked around with his personal taxi driving experience in a crude manner, which was of no help to our PDVL course. His elaboration was mostly on taxi driving and not on the private-hire service experience.

When he made comparisons between private-hire and taxi services, he would always put the private-hire service on a more disadvantageous position, which made me think twice why I was there in the first place. It might be better off to take a TDVL Course instead.

Mostly, he beat about the bush and seldom referred to the course notes to enhance clarifications. It was a waste of time with this instructor and my classmates thought likewise. It has to depend on luck what kind of instructor you get. In the end, no matter who the instructor is, you can study by yourself without depending on their tips.

19 Dec 2018, Wed

The 8-hour course from 9 am to 6 pm is to prepare you for two PDVL Test paper on:-

✓ Paper 1: Service Quality, Health & Safety (50 MCQ)
✓ Paper 2: Private Hire Care Rules & Regulations (50 MCQ)

Passing Marks

You have to score 40/50 (Paper 1), and 43/50 (Paper 2) to pass both PDVL tests. You have an hour to complete for each test on an iPad. From what I saw, around 70% of the students could finish the PDVL test in half an hour. I finished each test in 12 minutes and scored 49/50 (Paper 1) and 48/50 (Paper 2).

PDVL Mock Test

The PDVL tests were not that difficult. They were even easier than the questions on the mock tests and the online TP Test. If you can pass the online and mock tests during practice, there is no reason why you cannot succeed in the actual PDVL Tests. Many of the questions are common sense emphasising on Customer Service topic and your ‘right attitude’ towards the service industry.

I have an intuition that those questions had been revised to a simpler version. According to our instructor, only a handful of students could pass both papers. On the contrary, from what I saw, almost all my classmates passed both papers. Those that failed usually have a problem understanding English.

» TP Test Exercises Online

You can attempt your PDVL test questions online from TP Tests. Each paper consists of a few sets of exercises:

• Paper 1: 153 MCQ
• Paper 2: 195 MCQ

After I had attempted all the MCQ from each section, I would proceed on to take the test without referring to the notes. My final results for both online tests were 100% pass, which was encouraging. I took around 6 to 8 hours in total to complete 348 questions and 2 tests. The duration included some note revision in-between if I got any wrong answer.

I feel the attempt on TP Test questions is ultra important if you seriously want to pass. I gave this link to all my classmates in our Whatsapp group. Most of them told me it was useful and had tried their best to do as many questions as possible. Perhaps, our attempts online explained why most of us passed our PDVL Tests with flying colours as we were able to cope with the actual tests easily and with speed.

Tip: Do the test 2 days in advance so you can brush up your memory if you know where is your weak area since you cant’s possibly finish reading + memorising all the notes. That will be crazy!

» Taxi Singapore Test Online

After attempting the TP Test questions, you can also do the test on Taxi Singapore to ascertain your standard if you have the time. The Taxi Singapore tests have more or less similar questions like the TP Test. This step is just to reinforce your knowledge and confirm the possibility of passing the test without searching for an answer in the course notes.

Tip: For the best result, attempt the Singapore Taxi Test a few hours or a day later after you have completed the TP Test. This method is to cross-check your memory retention of what you have studied for the past few days!

Tips for Studying PDVL Questions

During the exercises, if you get any questions answered wrongly, go through your notes to find the correct answers and try to memorise it until you get them right the next time. They will come out again. The advantage of spending time in these exercises is that after you are familiar with them, you can do the PDVL Test at STA in 15 minutes with confidence. Out of those that you have attempted during the exercises, you may encounter around 10% of the same questions.

The two websites below have phrased out some actual PDVL test questions, particularly useful for referencing. The first one was the most helpful. I had referred to them several times during my revision to see if I could answer those questions after studying my notes.

1. 1. Valerie Quek – Free PDVL Test Guide and Summary
   2. Joringer Wang – How difficult is the PDVL Test?

Important: You do not have to memorise anything related to healthy lifestyles subjects such as BMI, cholesterol level … as these health topics have been scraped off from the PDVL Test recently. My instructor told us about it but being a bit kiasu, I still went ahead to memorise some of it. Indeed, none of these questions came out. A tremendous relief as you have fewer topics to study now.

Does it Mean You Do Not Have to Study the PDVL Test?

No, you still have to read and memorise most of it, especially Paper 2.4 notes focusing on traffic offences and demerit points. If you do not study Paper 2.4 with effort, you will not be able to pass the PDVL test because it will take up more than 7 questions. The passing mark is 43/50 for Paper 2.

Which Topic Did Not Come Out For Me

I spent a long time studying the road signs and penalty points of a Class 3 driver, which is a broad subject. However, none of them came out. There are a total of 600 to 700 questions inside the pool of the PDVL Test system. You will not know which are the random ones that will come out. Even when the instructor gave hints on the possible MCQ that may surface during the tests, none of them came out either.

Rebooking of PDVL Test

If you have a test at 9 am (paper 1) and 10 am (Paper 2), and fail one or both PDVL Tests on that day, the good news is that you can rebook and take the test on the same day at 2 pm. One test costs $10.00, and the administrative fee is $5.00. I have read that it is better to rebook the test after attempting Paper 2. If you need to rebook two papers, then you only have to pay for one administration fee.

What’s Next After Passing the PDVL Test?

You can collect a provisional PDVL in a paper form at the administration office on the same level, 4th floor while waiting for your PDVL to come in the next few months. At that time, staffs were issuing Esso petrol cards for Private-Hire Car (PHC) drivers which entitled us to get a 20% discount when we pumped petrol. At this stage, you are also a licensed Private-Hire driver and ready to start driving anytime.

19 Dec 2018, Wed

After I passed my PDVL Test, I proceeded on the same day to Grab Centre at Sin Ming Drive with three more classmates. I wanted to find out as many rental car rates with GrabCar Rental and their fleet partners as possible.

Are You a Hardcore Driver? 10 hrs on the Road?

If you intend to be a hardcore PHC driver driving an average of 10 hours on the road daily, I would recommend you to get a Hybrid car instead. Such a vehicle can give you 22km/litres according to the specification. The non-hybrid car would probably get you an average of 12km/litres. I was driving a Honda Grace Hybrid at the point of writing this blog.

A 35-litres full tank of petrol from Esso allowed my vehicle to run not less than 800 km, which is 805km/35L = 23km/litre to be exact. I have clocked my mileage each time I pumped petrol, so I know the published figure is accurate to its specification. Also, I am generally a light tapper on the car accelerator, which helps to cut down all my car petrol.

Rented Honda Grace Hybrid from Lion City Rentals (LCR)

I decided to rent from Lion City Rentals (LCR) after enquiring from GrabCar Rental and its fleet partners. LCR had the lowest cost of Hybrid in town at $62.20 with a 3-month contract at that time of rental. Moreover, the car was new and manufactured in the year 2016 or 2017. Mine was in March 2017.

I have a friend who rents from LCR. He will get a $500 referral fee, and I will get $100. I managed to get him to split at 50% of the total sum. That means each of us would get $300 each. Not a bad deal! Moreover, Lion City Rentals will give a 1-week free rental in the last week of the contract. My contract was only 3 months until April 2019, as I had to go back to Belgium.

Why I Did Not Rent from GrabCar Rental

GrabCar runs seasonal promotion for a few months to offer ‘Joining and Completion Bonus’ to market their car rental. Sometimes the incentive is high and sometimes it is low. When I enquired in September 2018, the total bonus was $2,700 after completing a 6-month contract. In December 2018, when I enquired again, the completion of the 6-month incentive dropped to $1,000, limited to only Toyota Prius and Mazda 3 car models.

One of the biggest turnoffs, according to what I gathered from Facebook forums was the return of GrabCar. The check on the vehicle surface was extremely stringent. GrabCar Rental will find ways to penalise you from your $500 deposit. It is too easy to get small scratches on the vehicle while on the road caused by small stones and debris. People were complaining online that Grab even penalised them for those tiny holes!

Grab Incentives

On the other hand, if you want to get Grab incentive, you have to get your vehicle either from GrabCar or its fleet partners to be eligible. As a newbie, the hope of earning more money is imperative. After driving for a while, I realised I was not hitting the target of minimum 100 trips per week to get an additional $100 because I chose to drive shorter hours, about 6 to 7 hours a night on average. (Yes, I was a night driver.)

I also realised I did not care about the incentive at all as you have to put up with a lot of other nonsenses. One of them was GrabShare that I detested the most. On a side note, most seasoned drivers hated GrabShare trips because the fares were ridiculously low and the travelling distances were relatively longer compared to Just Grab.

If I have a choice next time, I would forego Grab incentives and focus on getting a cheaper vehicle from a car rental company who is not a fleet partner, even if it means that the car is non-hybrid to lower down my operating cost. In conclusion, the car rental company to go for also depends on the ongoing promotion at the point of time.

Extra Commercial Car insurance to Bring Down Excess

Most car rental companies only provide third-party insurance to commercial vehicles. In the worst scenario, if you hit onto someone’s car and at fault, you will pay the excess upfront of both vehicles $2,140 + $2,200 = $4,340. Ouch! That’s a lot of money to pay for a minor car accident! The excess amount provided was what I had gathered after enquiring from a few car rental companies in Grab Centre. You have to check yours from your car rental company.

To bring the excess lower, you can purchase additional insurance from CHUBB, paying $100+ per month to reduce the excess down to $1k+. CHUBB claims to be the only insurance company offering such insurance package to commercial vehicles at the moment.

After you know the excess amount of your preferred vehicle, you can ask CHUBB to give you a quotation. The company has various tiers of protection level depending on how much you are willing to spend each month. GrabCar Rental also offers a similar type of Auto Excess insurance to bring down the excess if you are renting from GrabCar.

2 Jan 2019, Wed

The car deposit for many companies that I had enquired was $500. After paying the deposit, you can collect the vehicle the next day which was a common practice. The first day of rental which is also the collection date is usually free of charge. The policy of many car rental companies is drive first, then pay the following week. At least for Lion City Rentals, it is done this way. For some other private car rental companies, you can get an even lower daily rate if you pay monthly rather than weekly.

4 Jan 2019, Wed

The following day after you made a deposit, you can go to the designated place to collect your vehicle. I wanted to collect mine two days later. On that day, run a physical inspection on your rented vehicle together with the person who hands over the car to you.

Take photographs or video of physical defects such as paint peeling, dents, holes so that when you return it later, no one can accuse you of causing them. Ask questions on operating the vehicle if you have doubts. Try to collect your car in the morning so that you can proceed to Grab Centre immediately to activate the Grab Driver App.

4 Jan 2019, Wed

Setting Up Grab Driver’s Account

Here comes the tricky part. You can set up a Grab Driver’s Account in Grab Centre way before this step when you have submitted a copy of your bank account. However, you cannot activate the account until you have rented a vehicle and present:

• Hirer’s Contract
• Commercial insurance and
• Vehicle Log Card
• Bank Statement

Simply said, you have to submit all the documents given by the car rental company to Grab. I did everything on the same day after collecting my car in the morning. For my printed bank statement, I have blanked out the amount before printing it out for privacy reason. The Grab Customer Service officer merely looked at the bank account number for verification, and they did not even keep that copy. Hence, it was not an issue to remove away the figures.

After verifying the vehicle detail, the staff will then take your photo for the Grab Driver’s App. I was told that I could change my profile picture later, but that was not true. So make sure to get yourself a presentable photo as this will be the one shown to your potential passengers when they make a booking.

Grab Driver’s App Training

This step was the most frustrating process of all which was a nightmare and made me really mad. To activate the Grab Driver’s App, one has to FIRST go through the long and windy training session of watching 12 modules of videos, follow by short tests after each round. The whole procedure will take a minimum of 1 hour. If you did not pay attention to any of the videos and cannot pass the short tests at the end of every session, you have to repeat watching the video again. Yawn…

» Grab Video Training Technical Glitch

What annoyed me was that I got 100% pass for the first few modules. Later, there seemed to be some technical glitch, and the video appeared to be repeating themselves after some time. The worst thing was that the repetition did not come immediately as the old ones were inserted after a few sessions.

I wasn’t aware of it then as I was feeling fatigued and bored after watching all these uninteresting videos on my mobile phone. I only realised that something was wrong with the system when one classmate who took the training at the same time finished it in 30 – 45 mins earlier than me.

There was another woman who began the training 30 minutes later than us and could leave earlier than me. Something was amiss. I took a total of 2 hours to complete the so-called training at 6 pm. By this time, the staffs were ready to go back home. It was even too late to ask any more questions.

The Grab training system was poorly organised as it combined the Driver App with Customer Service training. I would think that the self-training should not take up more than 1 hour as the Driver’s App was so easy to use. There were not many features anyway.

Unfortunately, one has to pass all the mini-tests to get a link on the mobile to activate and download the Driver’s App later. Once you get the Grab Driver’s app on your mobile, you can start your Grab journey by picking up customers from Midview city on that day!

Here is a bonus – the 11th step for people residing in HDB flats. You can apply your new season parking online via SingPass without submission of any vehicle log card later. You will need the vehicle IU number though.

1. Select as “Non-Vehicle Owner” under *Vehicle Ownership* for the rented vehicle.
2. You can *Select reason for applying season parking for a vehicle not owned by you* as
   • “I am driving a vehicle on a long-term leasing arrangement” (no description is needed) OR
   • “I am actively driving the vehicle on a regular basis but do not come under any of the above categories.” which you can give some description. I chose this option. You can state that you are a PH driver and had a contract for x months.

The moment you make payment online, you will get your season parking on that day. Fast right?

A Tribute of Tears, Memories & Gratefulness to Lee Kuan Yew Who Transformed Singapore into a World-Class Country Thank You!

Mr Lee Kuan Yew 7-Days Mourning Period (23 – 29 March 2015)

Lee Kuan Yew, our founding father of Singapore, was extraordinary because most Singaporeans watched how a country flourished when he was alive. Therefore, they felt a deep sense of bonding and gratitude going through the evolution of Singapore together with him.

Other great men from other countries had done the same thing in the past but their heroic deeds were learnt from academic sources and people had not lived in the era when these great men were alive. But Singaporeans went through the time with Mr Lee Kuan Yew so they felt immense pain when he passed away.

Mr Harry Lee Kuan Yew, also known as LKY, passed away on the 23 March 2015 at 3:18 am in Singapore General Hospital after being warded in the intensive care unit of the hospital on the 5 Feb 2015 for severe pneumonia. The whole nation was deeply grieved by the death of this extraordinary man.

25 March 2015: The Guard of Honour carried the casket of Mr Lee Kuan Yew onto a gun carriage conveying him to the Parliament House from the Istana.
Photo Credit: Reuters

The traditional mounting of the vigil guards during the lying in state period at the Parliament House was the highest form of respect to the national leader. 4 uniformed officers stood at each corner of the casket with their heads bowed, bodies facing away and a ceremonial sword inverted. A senior officer who led them stood at the head of the casket facing inwards.

The Traditional Mounting of the Vigil Guards during the lying in state at the Parliament House.
Photo Credit: Mugilan Rajasegaran

Touching Scene: A lady officer wiped away the tears of a Vigil Guard while he wept in silent on duty.
Photo Credit: Straits Time

Singapore was declared 7 days of the national mourning period for his death by the current Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong (son of Mr Lee Kuan Yew). National flags were flown half-mast in respect to him.

Joining the mourning on 29 March, New Zealand, Bhutan and India declared one day of mourning with their national flags flown half-mast and no official entertainment for India on that day. Several Tamil Nadu villages in India had put up banners of Lee Kuan Yew by citing that our leaders have provided them jobs to better their life by escaping from poverty.

People in India walking around with the Banner of Lee Kuan Yew 
“Singapore’s Father is the saviour of Tamil workers from India
In his memory this March”

During this gloomy period, one can see how united Singaporeans stand in cohesion together with the rest other than the annual National Day on the 8 August. Members of the Public were allowed to pay their last visit to Lee Kuan Yew in the Parliament House from 25 to 28 March 2015, 8 pm. 18 tribute centres were also set up all over the island to allow people to write their tributes and to offer flowers for the beloved Father.

Thousands and thousands of people flocked to queue up paying their last respect to the great leader even though the weather was hot and humid at 33ºc. Tentages were set up by the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) to provide shade for the people during the queue.

SAF set up tents to provide shade under the hot weather
Photo Credit: Straits Time – Desmond Foo

Photo Credit: MediaCorp

It did not dampen the determination of people from queuing after the first day knowing that the average queue time was 8 hours. Frail elderly people, young children and mothers with babies were among the ultra-long queue. Many people were seen tearing with grieve and some fainted during the queue.

Their queuing perseverance and replies were soul-touching with a common understanding that Lee Kuan Yew had dedicated all his entire life fighting for a thriving Singapore and 8 hours of the queue was nothing compared to his lifelong commitment to making things happen.

Undaunted Crowd on the Queue
Photo Credit: Straits Time

27 March 2015 evening: 11 hours Queue in Padang
Photo Credit: Straits Time – Mark Cheong

28 March 2015 @6.20pm at the Padang:
Organisers suspended the queue abruptly at 10 pm as crowds had swelled beyond safety limits.
Photo Credit: Straits Time – Alphonsus Chern

28 March 2015 @7.30pm at the Padang:
The crowd became lesser closer to the 8 pm cut-off time.
Photo Credit: Straits Time – Alphonsus Chern

The waiting time escalated up to 11 hours on 27 March 2015 (Friday evening), with people continuously pouring in after their work as the wake opened 24 hours for public viewing with the support of the trains and buses running throughout the wee hours as well on Wednesday and Friday.

All of them were ingrained with the undisputed notion that without his mighty leadership, there will not be a successful Singapore. It was also the last time where they could show their appreciation to him in return by paying their last respects.

Some charitable companies gave out free decals, free flowers, free food and drinks and lending umbrellas to the people in the queue out of goodwill to commemorate the event. Kind volunteers doing their part of contribution were seen picking up rubbish left over by the people.

Everyone participated in the event warmheartedly with a sense of gratitude and unity. They aspired to carry out one of the well-known legacies passed down by Lee Kuan Yew which is to unite Singaporeans together.

A local company, Breadtalk, that was seen exploiting a business opportunity during this period were harshly criticized by the netizens for wanting to make a profit out of a dead person. The netizens demanded that their marketing products be given free to the people in the queue.

With an apology to the public in view of the insensitive activity to the current context, the company ceased its marketing activity immediately. They donated S$30,000 to the Community Chest which was their original intention when sales of all proceed from their marketed products would go to charity.

On the last day of the funeral procession, it rained heavily in Singapore in the morning. Many said that heaven cried for Lee Kuan Yew. Still, it did not deter thousands of weeping Singaporeans who waited along the road to send him off on his last journey on the road.

The deeply respected Father of Singapore was accorded the highest honour where a 21-gun salute was fired by four ceremonial 25-pounder guns as the gun carriage transported Mr Lee’s body from Parliament House and along the Padang area on the 29 March 2015.

29 March 2015: Howitzers fire 21-Gun Salute under the rain
Photo Credit: Alan Siu/EYE PRESS/SIPA/REX

It was estimated close to half a million people went to pay their respect during the 82 hours queue rain or shine. Everything was well organised and people were orderly and patient. Truly a One Nation United Singapore. It is likely that one will never see such an enormous queue happening in Singapore ever again.

29 March 2015: The cortege passing by The Pinnacle@Duxton where Tanjong Pager Constituency was under his jurisdiction close to 60 years.
Photo Credit: Straits Time – Desmond Wee

I have received something from Facebook that goes like this: “Mr Lee Kuan Yew passed away at the age of 91 years old on 23.3.15. So 91-23-3-15=50. Singapore celebrates its 50th birthday this year. Mr Lee Kuan Yew cried for Singapore 50 years ago about the separation from Malaysia. And 50 years later, the nation cries for him.”

As I am not one who has a keen interest or great knowledge in the political matter generally. However, the death of Mr Lee Kuan Yew made me stay at home to watch the news and documentary series about his enormous contribution where the TV programs were played repeatedly on his speech and how others think about him.

It brought me intangible benefits because it was at this time, I was able to learn from the media what are the great contributions he had done for Singapore. Because for all I know, he contributed to Singapore greatly, but I was not able to list out precisely the policies that he had implemented.

Through this channel, I wanted to keep a memory of the miracles he had done from the news and documentaries by penning them down while I accounted for the 6 days that I had stayed at home to learn about him even before I was born when my fellow citizens braved the hot weather to pay him the last respect.

I wanted to play a small part by spreading the knowledge to the whole world on what I had learnt about his history as part of my little contribution to a man I deeply respected.

One could read and write about his eulogy days and nights easily since he was the longest-serving prime minister in the world. There were a lot of publications and write-up about him online. I tried to do excerpts on some events which were representatives of some important evolutions in Singapore.

Wise Leadership

He had an envision to make Singapore be world number 1. Being the first Prime Minister in Singapore from 5 June 1959 to November 1990 and the youngest to be elected at the age of 35, he became the longest-serving prime minister in world history.

Upon his retirement as a Prime Minister, he was never retired in the political world. He knew many people would be relieved about his retirement thinking that he would enjoy his life from that day onwards, but they were wrong and would be disappointed, he said.

He was always seen involved in politics in one way or another and travelled extensively to build rapport with other world leaders and speak about Singapore and other world affairs after retiring from the Cabinet. He was the only person to hold the honour of Minister Mentor (MM), a position created by the Cabinet of Singapore from 2004 to 2011.

Mr Goh Chok Tong (second Prime Minister in Singapore from 1990 to 2004) recounted one incident where he and Lee Kuan Yew went to attend a formal dinner together. Lee stopped and invited him to enter first because he was the Prime Minister. He told Lee that they have known each other well and should dispense such formality.

Lee told Goh that although both of them acknowledged the familiarity of their relationship, others would not know. Lee said if he could not respect him as a Prime Minister, how would others respect him? Lee Kuan Yew was really respectful and considerate about how a small action would affect Goh’s status.

Under his great leadership and foresight, he made enormous contributions and changes to Singapore from a third-world to first-world status in a few decades. His challenge was how Singapore could maintain its level by being always extraordinary.

He always worried about the future of Singapore throughout his life and felt that Singapore was his responsibility and obligation to build up a future. Shouldering this heavy burden, he always contrived ways and ideas to make Singapore better and plan early on his foresight.

His emphasis was to always remain competitive and hardworking so that it becomes a motivation for us to move on. He has built a lot of foundation for Singapore Internationally over the years. When people talk about him, they think of Singapore.

He has given Singapore dignity and pride for what he has achieved for us. This little red dot which is hardly visible on the map is a shiny star. Nobody would believe back then Singapore would become remarkable and successful today.

He was always taking Mandarin classes even at the age of 91. When he went for holidays in Fraserhill with his family, he would engage a Chinese tuition teacher even for a short period of time.

On 4 February 2014 which was one night before he was warded to hospital, he was still taking his Mandarin class which unfortunately urged out to be the last one. His spirit of lifelong learning to his own age was indeed a precious inspiration for everyone never to stop learning in our life.

Lee Kuan Yew had a convincing style of speech and was well-versed in many subjects internationally which won him a lot of respect and friends from all over the world. 170 Foreign dignitaries and leaders from 27 countries attended his State Funeral during the 4 days of the funeral.

A Devoted Husband

The man well known for ruling Singapore with the iron fists, Lee Kuan Yew was not only dedicated to the country’s welfare, but he was also a very devoted husband and father which has touched my heart on his ability to balance both his work and his family life extraordinarily well.

He met his wife Madam Kwa Geok Choo in school. She caught his attention because she scored better than him in the examination. They went to Cambridge University together and got married secretly in England on 30 September 1950  without the knowledge of their parents which were against Chinese tradition at that time.

During a speech in 1994, he said, “You either have the Western view – you marry the woman you love or the Eastern View – you love the woman you marry. Well, I tried to match both, and I think it wasn’t a bad choice.” Madam Kwa was fondly remembered by him not just being an intelligent woman, but a devoted woman who took good care of him and their children while he fought his entire life to build Singapore.

Mdm Kwa suffered from a stroke on 26 October 2003. Lee Kuan Yew made it a point to be by her bedside every day reading her the news and her favourite poems. Even when he was overseas, he would excuse himself in the midst of the conversation and made it a point to call home every evening to talk to his wife even when she could not talk during her sickness but his dedication to her never wavered. It was not an easy period for him.

His daughter, Dr Lee Wei Ling remarked that his health has taken a turn for the worst ever since her mother’s death in October 2010. It was inevitable that Lee Kuan Yew missed his wife very much because the couple had stayed married for 60 years and were seen almost inseparable whether at home or overseas.

In Loving Memories of Mr Lee Kuan Yew and Madam Kwa Geok Choo
Photo Credit: Lee Hsien Loong / Facebook

Lee Kuan Yew’s House at 38 Oxley Road

One would be utterly shocked and lost for word looking at Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s humbled house because it speaks of simplicity and more notably, the beauty of frugality when Singapore has the highest paid ministers in the world. Even his obsolete squarish monitor could attest to his frugality.

It was stated in his will to have his 100 years old pre-war bungalow built by a Jewish merchant to be demolished after his death if his daughter, Dr Lee Wei Ling moved out of the house as the cost of maintenance would be very high.

Many Singaporeans were against the idea because it had historical value and was seen as part of the heritage where this highly-respected man stayed and to be reminded of the existence of LKY. One of his sons, Lee Hsian Yang, urged Singaporeans to respect his father’s decision.

Fortunately, at this point in time, his house would not be demolished yet as Dr Lee Wei Ling has expressed her wish to continue staying there. “A will of any person cannot override the ordinary law of the land” if the state viewed his house of national importance and will preserve it.

Early Days of Lee Kuan Yew

Born on 16 September 1923 to a Hakka family, his family spoke English and Malay. He was illiterate in Chinese and learned Chinese in 1955 for 8 months at the age of 32 and Hokkien (Chinese Dialect) at the age of 38 so that he can communicate with the Chinese who neither understand English nor Malay during his leadership.

He learned the Japanese language during the Japanese occupation from 1942 to 1945 and act as a translator for the Japanese during World War II. His university education is postponed due to it. He studied law at Cambridge University in 1948 and has developed an interest in politics because he was seen as a colonial subject in England and he didn’t like that.

He saw no reason why they should be governing him and they were not more superior. He wanted to change that. He believed he must hold power in order to change the destiny of Singapore. He began his political life in 1950 when he returned to Singapore.

Anti-Corruption Activity in 1959

Corruptions were very rampant under the British Colony. When Lee Kuan Yew became the first Prime Minister in 1959, the People’s Action Party (PAP) formed on 21 November 1954 by him was the ruling government that eradicated corruption. He had zero tolerance for corruption and swore to get rid of them because corruption would weaken the foundation of Singapore.

He always adhered to the principle that leaders, people and the system should be clean and integrity should be maintained at all times. He said if a political system is good, the leaders are bad, then the government will be bad.

As such, he had a high expectation of the quality of the ministers chosen and their behaviours because they represented Singapore and the way others perceived Singapore. This explains why Singapore ministers are paid the highest in the world because only the most talented people are recruited with high salaries to keep them in the civil service and to prevent them from involving in corrupted activities.

Lee Kuan Yew first set himself a good example for the nation to follow. In 1960, he rejected a US$ 3.3 million bribe from the CIA worth US$ 26 million for discovering their covert operation.

Merger with Malaysia in 1963

Singapore declared its independence from the British in 1963. He believed that Singapore as a small island state could not survive after the independence thus he joined Malaya, North Borneo (now known as Sabah) and Sarawak to form Malaysia on 16 September 1963 which happened to be his birthday, having received supports from Singaporeans through voting.

It is not easy to work with the leaders in Malaysia because they have conflicting ideas. Lee Kuan Yew was against policies that sided with Malay supremacy. He wanted policies that were fair to both Malay and non-Malay.

In May 1965, he used fluent Malay to speak in a Parliament sitting. He spoke Malay so fluently and better than most of them which put many leaders into shame. His speech was seen as detrimental to the future of Malaysia. This became a turning point in history where the leaders saw him as a threat to become a Prime Minister in Malaysia.

Singapore Independence in 1965

Photo: ST – Lee Kuan Yew wept over the separation

Singapore was kicked out of the Federation of Malaysia by Prime Minister Abdul Rahman as a result. One can understand the tremendous pressure and his moment of anguish that he had gone through during his emotional breakdown when he declared “I have a few million lives to account for, Singapore will survive”…

Photo: Singapolitics / ST File Photo – News Headline 10.8.1965

With this undying promise and determination, we are what we are today – A prosperous nation ever since the separation from Malaysia on 9 August 1965 when Singapore gained its independence.

Lee Kuan Yew went around the world to rally support and for other states to recognise our independence immediately. He hoped to attract investors so as to create more job opportunities for Singaporeans.

When he was in England and appeared on the TV regularly, a man overheard 2 patrons sitting in the café passing off a remark, “This man should be England Prime Minister!”

During that period, he also helped Malaysia-Singapore Airlines (MSA) to get the first transcontinental flight to take off for London on 2 June 1971 after which MSA split into 2 entities – Singapore Airlines (SIA) and Malaysian Airline System (MAS) in 1972.

The Bombing of MacDonald House in 1965

In 1963, Lee Kuan Yew felt the threat from Indonesia and a lot of explosions happened. He united the citizens and insisted that they should stand firm to brush the invaders off. A total of 29 bombs were recorded by March 1965.

The most serious case was the bombing in MacDonald house on 10 March 1965 where 3 people were killed and at least 33 people were injured. Within 4 days, 2 Indonesian marine agents involved in the bombing were arrested.

They were hanged later for murder in Singapore after an unsuccessful appeal to the Federal Court of Malaysia on 5 October 1966 by Indonesia. From the perspective of a small country, a fearless Lee Kuan Yew never succumbed to the pressure from a bigger country.

The then Indonesian President Sukarno was furious about this and swore to take revenge on Lee Kuan Yew. He asked the bodies to be shipped back. It aggravated the bilateral tie between Singapore and Indonesia because the 2 men were seen as heroes in Indonesia. They were buried with full honours at the National Heroes Cemetery.

On 27 May 1973, through some help from the Indonesian Ambassador in Singapore, Lee Kuan Yew went to Jakarta to pay his respects to the 2 men and offered flowers at their graves. Such formality was praised by the Indonesian press and the relationship between the 2 countries were appeased and became better.

In 2014, a navy frigate in Indonesia named in honour of Osman and Harun for their roles in the MacDonald House bombing would be refrained to call in Singapore ports and its naval bases or partake in any training exercises, or sail alongside with ships from the Singapore Armed Forces as declared by Singapore Minister for Defence Ng Eng Heng in parliament.

Bilingual Policy in 1966

Lee Kuan Yew knew that having English as the first language would bring about international opportunity and would be a common language in Singapore to unite the multi-racial culture in Singapore. He also recognized that one needed to understand their mother tongue in order to understand our roots and culture.

Promoting bilingualism was one of the most challenging policies to carry out. Many students failed in their language exams while trying to master both English and their mother tongues at the same time. This affected the result of their other subjects as well. The statistic has shown that less than 40% of the students had the competency to master 2 languages at a time.

Speak Mandarin Campaign was implemented in 1979 by him to encourage the Chinese to speak more Mandarin instead of dialects so they could use it anywhere in Singapore for communication among the different dialect groups in Singapore. Mandarin contains a cultural traditional root that is identifiable to all Chinese. It was argued that Mandarin was more economically valuable than dialects.

National Service Act in 1967

Lee Kuan Yew quoted that Singapore could not depend on other people’s tolerance and therefore, we need to build up our army. “Every boy and girl will learn what it is to defend this country”. With the help from the Israeli army, the first batch of army completed their National Service training on 16 July 1967.

Singapore was surrounded by larger neighbouring countries, Indonesia and Malaysia which had a tense bilateral relationship were constantly in confrontation with each other between 1963 and 1966. Singapore did not have a good relationship with these 2 countries at that time. Building our own defence system was one way to guard against the enemy’s attack.

Additionally, with the announcement made in 1968 on the withdrawal of British troops, Lee Kuan Yew was even more determined to strengthen our own military system with the loss of protection from the British military.

He believed that a 2-years national service would enable citizens to develop a sense of belonging for the country and to keep fit by recalling them back once a year. Enhancing national security would also give more faith to the investors to come. Singapore survival was very important to him and he would not allow anyone to destroy the country.

Withdrawal of British Troop in 1971

Shortly after Singapore gained its independence in 1965, it was dealt another blow when the economy has just stabilized. The British announced in 1968 that in 1971, they would withdraw all their troops from Singapore due to the devaluation of the pound sterling. The withdrawal date was brought forward 3 years earlier than the agreed date of 1975.

Singapore depended on its economy and its security on the British army heavily. The British Military bases contributed over 20% of the Gross National Product (GNP) to Singapore. 1 in 10 people had direct employment and this provided jobs to 70,000 people. The foundation of the Singapore Armed Forces was also weak because it was less than a year since they were established.

Lee Kuan Yew told Singaporeans not to be depressed or anxious when the British withdrew their troops. One speaker in the documentary program said that Lee Kuan Yew was angry. Lee told Dr Goh Keng Swee (Minister of Finance then and later second Deputy Prime Minister of Singapore from 1973 to 1984) that he could not promise the safety of the British if they withdrew their troops. Dr Goh replied back to Lee, “You speak like a hooligan now” and LKY just smiled.

Youtube Videos (by SPH Razor)

These two videos by SPH Razor was two of my recommended videos for an overall understanding of the legendary man behind the rapid success of a nation in under 15 minutes’ time. Some scenes were touching and denoted critically how much effort Lee Kuan Yew had wanted to build Singapore the way he had visualised.

• Lee Kuan Yew: The Boy Who Became Prime Minister (Part 1) – 5 min 32 sec

• Lee Kuan Yew: The Man Who Defined Singapore (Part 2) – 7 min 35 sec