Singapore PR probed after viral video shows alleged misuse of Malaysia’s subsidised RON95 petrol

JOHOR, MAKAYSIA: A man allegedly caught pumping subsidised RON95 petrol into a Singapore-registered vehicle has been identified as a Singapore permanent resident, following a viral video that circulated widely on social media earlier this month.

Kulai police chief Assistant Commissioner Tan Seng Lee said the owner of the vehicle was traced to Singapore after the incident gained online attention.

According to Assistant Commissioner Tan, police have contacted the individual and instructed him to report to the traffic department at Kulai police headquarters.

“We have gotten in touch and directed him to come to the traffic department at Kulai police headquarters to assist with the investigation,” he said on 4 January 2026.

The case is being investigated under Section 108(3)(e) of the Road Transport Act, which relates to the exhibition of an altered or tampered vehicle registration number. Assistant Commissioner Tan said this provision covers offences involving obscured or modified registration plates.

He also issued a public reminder that altering or concealing vehicle registration details is a criminal offence. “The public is reminded not to alter or attempt to hide certain characters of their vehicle registration plates as they please because it is against the law,” he said.

The investigation follows a one-minute video that went viral on 3 January 2026. The footage appeared to show a man pumping subsidised RON95 petrol at a petrol station in Kulai into a vehicle with a partially obscured registration number.

RON95 petrol is subsidised and reserved for Malaysians using locally registered vehicles. The fuel is not permitted to be sold to foreign-registered vehicles under existing regulations.

In the video, the first and last letters of the car’s registration number appeared to have been covered using black tape or marker. This led to suspicions that the registration plate had been deliberately altered to avoid detection.

An unidentified voice, believed to be the person recording the video, could be heard questioning the man. When asked whether he was Malaysian, the man responded that he was.

Police later confirmed that the vehicle involved was registered in Singapore and that its registration number had allegedly been covered to facilitate the purchase of RON95 petrol. Assistant Commissioner Tan said investigations were ongoing to establish the full circumstances of the incident.

In addition to police action, the Johor branch of the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry also conducted inspections at the petrol station involved. The inspections followed complaints from members of the public and information circulating online.

The ministry’s Johor director, Ms Lilis Saslinda Pornomo, was quoted in reports as saying that enforcement action had been taken over an alleged violation of directives issued by the Controller of Supplies. These directives prohibit the sale of RON95 petrol to foreign-registered vehicles.

According to Ms Lilis Saslinda, the ministry takes breaches of fuel subsidy regulations seriously, as subsidised fuel is intended to benefit Malaysian consumers and manage domestic cost-of-living pressures.

Authorities have repeatedly warned petrol station operators and motorists that strict enforcement measures are in place. Violations can result in fines, prosecution, or other penalties under relevant laws.