Singapore-registered car owner assists Johor police over obscured plate fuel case

JOHOR, MALAYSIA: Johor police have confirmed that the owner of a Singapore-registered vehicle linked to a viral video showing the purchase of subsidised RON95 fuel has presented himself at the Kulai district police headquarters to assist with investigations.

Kulai district police chief Assistant Commissioner Tan Seng Lee said investigation papers are still being prepared and will be referred to the deputy public prosecutor once completed.

According to ACP Tan, the individuals seen in the widely circulated video are a married couple aged 63 and 67. He said this in a brief statement issued on 5 January 2026.

Earlier media reports had said Johor police had tracked down the vehicle owner, identified as a Singapore Permanent Resident, and summoned him to Kulai police headquarters to facilitate the investigation.

The case is being investigated under Section 108(3)(e) of the Road Transport Act (APJ) 1987. According to ACP Tan, the provision relates to the exhibition of an altered or tampered vehicle registration number.

He explained that the section covers offences involving obscured, modified or otherwise altered registration plates, including cases where parts of the plate are deliberately concealed.

The investigation follows the circulation of a one-minute video on social media on 3 January 2026. The footage showed a man pumping petrol into a vehicle at a petrol station in Kulai.

In the video, the vehicle appeared to have a partially obscured registration number. The first and last characters of the plate seemed to be covered using black tape or a dark marker.

This raised suspicions that the registration plate had been deliberately altered to avoid detection while purchasing subsidised fuel.

RON95 petrol in Malaysia is heavily subsidised by the government and is reserved for Malaysians using locally registered vehicles. Under existing regulations, the fuel is not permitted to be sold to foreign-registered vehicles.

Authorities have repeatedly warned petrol station operators and motorists against misusing subsidised fuel, as such practices are viewed as an abuse of public funds.

In the viral clip, an unidentified voice believed to belong to the person recording the video could be heard questioning the man pumping petrol.

When asked whether he was Malaysian, the man replied that he was. The exchange added to public speculation about whether the vehicle owner had misrepresented his eligibility to purchase RON95 fuel.

The video triggered widespread discussion online, with many users calling for stricter enforcement against the misuse of subsidised fuel by foreign-registered vehicles.

Authorities have urged the public to refrain from speculation and allow the investigation process to run its course.