Singapore PR fined over US$2,000 after obscuring number plate to pump subsidised fuel in Johor
A 63-year-old Singapore permanent resident was fined RM9,000 by a Johor court after being caught obscuring his car’s number plate while pumping subsidised RON95 fuel. The case followed a viral video shared on social media.
- A Singapore permanent resident was fined RM9,000 for obscuring his vehicle’s registration number while pumping subsidised RON95 fuel in Johor.
- The offence relates to tampering with a number plate, not the purchase of fuel itself.
- Malaysian authorities reiterated that subsidised RON95 petrol is reserved for locally registered vehicles only.
JOHOR, MALAYSIA: A man who was caught on video pumping subsidised RON95 petrol into his Singapore-registered car in Johor was fined RM9,000 (US$2,217) by a magistrate’s court on 14 January, 2026.
The accused, Long Sa Kow, a Malaysian citizen who is also a Singapore permanent resident, was charged with obstructing the registration number of his vehicle, rather than with the purchase of subsidised fuel.
He was charged under Section 108(3)(e) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for allegedly exhibiting an altered or tampered vehicle registration number, according to court proceedings.
The offence carries a penalty of a fine ranging from RM5,000 to RM20,000, a jail term of between one and five years, or both, under Malaysian law.
Long, 63, pleaded guilty to the charge when the case was heard at the Kulai Magistrate Court before Judge R Salini.
In delivering the sentence, Salini imposed a fine of RM9,000 and ordered that Long serve nine months’ imprisonment if he failed to pay the amount.
The case stemmed from a video clip that went viral on social media earlier this month, drawing widespread public attention and criticism.
In the footage, Long was seen pumping RON95 petrol into a car bearing a Singapore registration number, which appeared to have been partially concealed.
The first and last letters of the vehicle’s licence plate were allegedly covered, obscuring the full registration number from view.
RON95 petrol in Malaysia is heavily subsidised by the government and is reserved strictly for Malaysians using locally registered vehicles.
Under existing regulations, petrol station operators are not permitted to sell RON95 fuel to foreign-registered vehicles, including those from Singapore.
The viral video prompted online debate about the misuse of subsidies and the enforcement of fuel regulations at border states such as Johor.
Police later confirmed that investigations were initiated following the circulation of the footage, which was widely shared across multiple social media platforms.
According to police statements, Long surrendered himself voluntarily to authorities on 6 January, three days after the video first surfaced online on 3 January.
1 Comment