My Passion For Cars

It was a passion. Right from the time when I was a small kid, I loved cars, though at that tender age I hardly realised that we were too poor to have one. My parents could only provide me with a proper education in an English Medium School. My parents could only effort a bicycle for me to travel to and from school. Although there was a regular public transport, but the cost for the monthly season pass was stiff for daily earner like them.

So silly me, for my expensive passion for cars.

But then my Tok Anjang had a 6 cylinder Opel Kapitan rarely used, parked and covered with a ‘mosquito net’ under his house. It’s a blue saloon with white top. In school, my class teacher Mr.P.H.Nesarathnam had an MG Sport. Those are the two classy cars that I was earlier exposed to, and really adored. How I wished
Tok Anjang give me a ride in a manner Mr.Nesaratnam used to drive us home after a game of Hockey, Football or Rugby. It was so thrilling to be driven in his open hood MG sport with the evening wind gushing on our face.

So come school holidays my priority was to hang around my Tok Anjang’s house. I knew, I was one of his favorite. And I hoped that one fine evening he would take me for a ride in his Opel Kapitan, least knowing that Tok Anjang did not have a driving license.

Then who cares? Who need a driving license for a drive around our kampong. Surely Tok Anjang did not mind, and loves to give me the honour.

Least did I knew that the car has been parked unmoved underneath the house for a couple of months. Tok Anjang only used it whenever he needs to take his family for vacation in Penang, or visiting Pakchik Kanik studying at Al-Mashoor. I later learnt that he had a vacation bungalow in Tanjung Bunga, George Town, Penang and visited the Island regularly. Only for that purpose, he used the Opel Kapitan. He would engaged a freelance driver for a couple of week for that purpose. And then the car would again be parked in its present place underneath his Rumah Kotai covered with clothes.

Mak Yah told me that Tok Anjang was too scared even to be at the driver’s seat. He owns the car, but never drove it. What a pity.

“Driving a car looks easy. It’s easier than riding a bicycle or a motorcycle. You’re lucky if you can drive it. He may engaged you to drive him to Penang one of these days,” Mak Yah gave me the encouragement, least did she knew that one need a Driving License and a long period of apprenticeship tutored by a licensed driver to be one.

Now, there was this sudden compulsion in wanting to drive my Tok Anjang's Opel Kapitan. Mak Yah gave me the encouragement. I agreed driving a four wheel vehicle look easier than riding a two wheeled bicycle, I thought. If only I could influence my Tok Anjang to give me a try driving the Opel Kapitan. If I succeed that, the next would be driving it on to the kampong road.

Now I really need Mak Yah’s recommendation for that.

To my surprised, permission granted. And there was me seating at the driver’s seat. The engine ignited and a soft purring sound fills the air. Tok Anjang steped aside giving way for me to drive the car out to the compound.

Confidently, I pushed the clutch pedal with my left leg, and engaged the gear. Easy than I thought. Slowly I released the handbrake, and step hard on the paddle. So far so good. We're in business.

Then hell broke loose. The 6 cylinder engine gave a very strong jerk. The car jumped forward, nearly knocking the ‘tiang seri’ – main pillar of the Rumah Kotai.

Tok Anjang shouted at the top of his voice, asking me to be careful. He later jocked, that he was more worried of his prized car than me.

Luckily though the engine immediately stalled and nothing happened to me or the car.
I got the biggest shock of my life.

From that day on, I wowed never to drive other people car,
the discipline lasted till today.

I bought my first sedan a Borgward Erabella on my first teaching job in Ulu Trengganu way back in 1964.

And the passion never stops till the present day: Hillman, Ford, Honda, Proton, Volvo, & Benz. These are among my favorite and affordable brands