Johor KPDN probes alleged tactic of Malaysians pumping RON95 into Singapore vehicles

JOHOR BAHRU, Jan 3 — The Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry (KPDN) is investigating allegations that Malaysians driving Singapore-registered cars have been filling up with subsidised RON95 petrol in Johor.

The alleged tactic involves Malaysians who are Singapore permanent residents partially covering or obscuring their vehicles’ registration plates to resemble Malaysian-registered cars before refuelling.

Johor KPDN director Lilis Saslinda Pornomo said the ministry launched an investigation after receiving a complaint recently.

“We will also examine whether such a practice is widespread among Malaysians driving Singapore-registered vehicles,” she said when contacted today.

Lilis Saslinda was responding to a widely circulated Facebook video showing an individual confronting what was believed to be the owner of a Singapore-registered car filling up with RON95 at a petrol station in Kulai.

She said the ministry would update the public once investigations are completed.

Meanwhile, Kulai police chief Assistant Commissioner Tan Seng Lee said police would summon the vehicle owner if it is confirmed that the registration number is from Singapore.

He said the incident shown in the viral video was believed to have occurred at about 10.35pm last night, although police only received a report this morning.

“The report has been referred to KPDN for further action as it involves subsidised fuel,” he said when contacted.

In the one-minute-and-30-second video, an elderly couple claimed they were Malaysians despite their vehicle’s registration number being partially covered.

Under the law, only Malaysian-registered vehicles are eligible to purchase RON95 petrol, regardless of the driver’s citizenship status.

Since 2010, all foreign-registered vehicles, including those from Singapore, have been restricted to purchasing only unsubsidised RON97 or higher-grade fuel.