The Kuala Lumpur-born emergency physician decided to combine this fascination with his day job – by learning to drive these vehicles himself!
Today, he holds 10 driving licences for a variety of vehicles, including cars, motorcycles, tractors, buses, excavators and heavy trucks. Talk about a man “driven” to succeed!
“Many love fast, expensive and exotic cars – I love anything with an engine and wheels. I’ve had more fun with my old manual 660cc Perodua Kancil than many could ever have with far more expensive cars,” the 37-year-old told FMT Lifestyle.
“I am genuinely surprised by the attention I am getting from all of this,” he added. “This is my funny little hobby, and I am glad many are happy about my achievements.”
Leong is currently involved in disaster medicine, a subset of emergency medicine. This requires him to be involved in a lot of outdoor work, where his driving skills come in handy.
“I frequently practise driving ambulances during simulation exercises so that I’m prepared should the need arise. I pray no disasters happen, of course, but it’s always useful to be ready,” he said.
For those who are wondering, the 10 licences Leong holds are:
- Class B – motorcycles over 500cc (large motorcycles);
- Class C – three-wheeled motorcycles;
- Class D – motorcars with an unladen weight (BTM) not exceeding 3,500kg;
- Class E – motorcars with BTM exceeding 7,500kg;
- Class H – tractors or heavy mobile machinery (wheeled) with BTM over 5,000kg;
- Class I – tractors or heavy mobile machinery (tracked) with BTM over 5,000kg;
- Public Service Vehicle (PSV) Class D – mini buses or vans (light motor vehicles);
- PSV Class E – heavy buses with an unladen weight exceeding 7,500kg;
- Goods Driving Licence (GDL) Class E – heavy trucks with an unladen weight exceeding 7,500kg (rigid); and
- GDL Class E (articulated) – heavy trucks with an unladen weight exceeding 7,500kg (trailers).
Earning these took him 20 years – and over RM10,000!
Even as a boy, Leong had been fascinated by vehicles. In his younger days, he would place chairs on their sides and sit in them, pretending he was driving a car. His grandparents would frequently take him on kiddy rides and arcade cars, and he would often refuse to leave!
So, which driving licence did he find most challenging to earn? Turns out, it was the large motorcycle.
“I had no experience with clutched bikes prior to my lessons. I’d obtained an old, heavy Yamaha Virago cruiser bike with bent handlebars, which did not make it easier. I crashed on my first attempt and had to be rescued by the instructors,” he recalled.
“Then, I fell off the ‘titi’ (bridge) during my first exam. That was the only JPJ exam I ever had to retake!”
Despite being experienced with such a variety of vehicles, Leong names his 1989 Honda C70 – the motorcycle with which he began learning – as the one he enjoyed riding the most.
“It had a three-speed gearbox, a top speed of 50km/H, and could not take a pillion rider uphill. It belonged to my Japanese housemate, who also sold me his Yamaha Ego S when he moved back to Japan,” he shared.
“Today, I love large motorcycles. I ride a Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade to work daily, and nothing comes close to that feeling.”
Leong recommends that everyone should drive an excavator at least once in their lifetime, saying it is a “great way to bring out one’s inner child”.
In fact, during a lesson, he enjoyed moving sand with it so much that he stayed behind and kept on doing it after his classmates had gone home. His instructor eventually had to get him to stop!
The good doctor plans to keep adding to his already impressive driving resume: he hopes to someday master tower cranes, skylifts, land trains, and even helicopters.
Asked about his ultimate dream, he replied (jokingly or otherwise) that it was to someday head into space. “I may not have the expertise to fly a rocket or space shuttle, but if Malaysia needs an emergency physician to come along for missions, I am willing to be trained!”