One Thing Leads to Another

Yesterday I rode of waves of emotions.

A couple of months ago, I remembered my passport was about to expire end of this month.

So I rang the *super duper efficient and reliable* Malaysian Embassy here in WA.

The woman on the other line confirmed and reconfirmed 'you have 6months after you passport expires to apply for a new one'. And, to supply 'pre certified copies of your IC. That's all you need'.

Ok, so I took my time. This is great. I am busy.

Yesterday, I decided to ring them again just to see if I needed to make an appointment.

And got told I had to renew it 6months BEFORE it expires.

Huh?

And I need to produce my original IC (Mykad) to apply for a new one.

But I haven't seen my original IC in yonks. So I went to the Embassy anyway, hoping I'd get told that seeing the original IC was just a formality and wasn't needed.

It wasn't so. The girl at the desk wouldn't budge. She told me I had to go back to Malaysia and it takes a few weeks to make a new IC. I was tempted to ask her how much it would be to just supply them with my photocopied IC. (ie. RASUAH)

That started a frenzy of emotions- that means I have to jump on the next plane to Malaysia to get my IC done, wait for it for god knows how long and try to get my passport done. Would I get it done in 3 weeks before my current one expires? If I don't, I won't be able to see my family here again in a long long time. What about my PR? Does an expired passport make my PR lapse? Maybe I should just apply for citizenship since I can. Forsake Malaysian citizenship forever.

I contacted my friend in KL and asked if I could stay. Lucky for me, her house is empty as her family is on holiday. What would I do with Ethan? And then I started worrying. What if I can't go back for my friends wedding? What if this..and what if that...

When I got home, I suddenly remembered I had a stack of Asian cards somewhere in my room.

I checked and- wholah! (not who lah but walah) I FOUND MYSELF STARING ME RIGHT IN THE FACE.

So everything was back to normal just in a split second I found me.

And all this while I thought I had lost it.

One thing leads to another, sometimes we need to step out of the box for a little while, take a little breather and analyze the situation from a different perspective. Easy said, not so easily done.

And just for your info, here's what to do to renew your Malaysian passport
- It can be done at the Malaysian Embassy in Perth. No need to fly to Canberra.
- Photocopies of pg1-3 and PR page of your current passport, your original birth cert + photocopies, 3 passport photos with blue background
- Take passport photos at Perfect Photos, along Hay Street. The only one in WA that takes Malaysian passport photos with stupid blue background that costs $20 for 6 photos. What a ripoff!
- Go to the Malaysian Embassy, fill in forms and feel like you're in Malaysia.
- Wait for half a year. (They said it takes a month, but we all know it doesn't)

And just for the record, your Australian PR does not lapse if your non-Australian passport expires.

PHEW.