In the Beginning...

 
A thousand mile journey, start with taking the 1^st step….. Confucius

I got my Taxi Vocational Licence (VL) from LTA since year 2000. However, ever since acquiring this VL, I did not desire to become an independent business owner for driving a taxi. In September 2013, in line with my aspiration, I took a day off on my birthday, and  did a walk-in interview for the post of Bus Captain (BC). 

After filled in the employment form at my employer office in Woodlands; a moment later, a person came by and introduced herself to me. While both of us still standing near the photocopy machine, she asked me a couple of questions; why I choose to be a BC; Since I am a Singaporean, why I did not consider Taxi Driving and why I am leaving behind my 6-figure annual income job. She then did a sanity check on my NRIC identity and Class 3 driving licence. Tough I bought along with me, all my professional papers, it was not viewed. Later I found out that, to be a trainee BC, all is needed is a Class 3 driving licence and can speak a bit of English. I guess I was just too naïve on the expected job academic qualifications requirement.

Before we part, the office personnel told me that the employment form and my photocopied of NRIC and Driving Licence will be posted to the Human Resources (HR) HQ in Ang Mo Kio. Officer from the HR HQ will be contacting me within 2 week for a second interview. However, after waiting for more than 2 weeks, and I did not get a reply, I follow-up with several phone calls to the HR Department to find out the outcome of my walk-in-interview. 

Eventually, I manage to secure another eyeballs interview on the following week. After much convincing with the HR Officer; I finally received an in-principle job offer for the post of Trainee Bus Captain.  Hurray.  I think the long process time of securing this job offer may be in part due to my former education, years of engineering working experiences and getting paid with relatively high last drawn salary. I have to “suck thumb” and accept the fact that, it is okay for the HR Officer to doubt me on my passion, sincerity and determination to become a Bus Captain with them.

The final job acceptance offer is subjected to my passing of my medical examination by the Company’s medical board situated in Shenton Way. The 1^st attempt, I did not clear my medical because of my short-sightedness. I needed a pair of glass that can provide me with a corrected power and clear vision to see afar while driving. I agreed and have a new pair of glass made with correct lens power prescribed by Singapore Eye Center.

After another couple of weeks passed, I finally was offered a job as trainee Bus Captain in December 2013. However, I did not take up the job immediate as I needed to give my current employer a minimum 2 month resignation notice period.

The other main reason that I delayed in taking up this new job immediately is that, in the early months of 2014, I have Court duty to perform in the Supreme Court of Singapore. The exact date for me to take the stand in the dock in relation to Suit No. 691 of 2011/A, was not known to me at that moment. Moreover, prior to that, I also needed much time to write and submit an affidavit to the Court. The said affidavit will be used as my testimony during the dread cross examination by the defence lawyers.  

I have served my professional duty in the Court to the Justice as a Plaintiff Independent Technical Expert Witness in accordance to Order 40A of the Rules of Court (2006 Edition).  The whole process of been cross-examined in the Court is so nerve racking, pressurizing and humbling, that in the words of my learned Defendant Expert Witness, a former Dean of Engineering from NUS, and I quote, “I will not do this again…”.