A video circulating online has triggered widespread backlash after a man was allegedly caught attempting to refuel subsidised RON95 petrol in Kulai by taping over parts of his Singapore-registered car plate to make it appear Malaysian.
The incident reportedly took place on Jan 3, 2026, at a petrol station in Kulai, Johor. The vehicle involved was a Volkswagen Jetta bearing a Singapore plate, with the first and last characters visibly blacked out using tape.
“No. I’m Malaysian. Confirm 100%”
In the clip, the man is seen refuelling his car using the yellow nozzle, which dispenses RON95 petrol and is reserved exclusively for Malaysian-registered vehicles due to government subsidies.
Further inspection of the vehicle showed that the front prefix “S” and the last suffix “M” on the Singapore number plate had been taped over, making the registration appear incomplete at a glance.
A Malaysian man who noticed the taped plate confronted the driver and asked him directly,
“Hello, Singaporean?”
The man immediately denied it, replying, “No. I’m Malaysian. Confirm 100%. We’re Malaysians.”
The Malaysian man then pointed out the taped number plate and questioned him further,
“Didn’t you cover the plate?”
When the explanation failed to convince him, the Malaysian man warned that he would report the incident, saying,
“No, no. I’ll call the police. I’ll report this. You wait here.”
He was also heard questioning the petrol station attendant for allowing the refuelling to take place, asking, “You didn’t check?”
Why this sparked anger
RON95 petrol in Malaysia is heavily subsidised and strictly reserved for Malaysian-registered vehicles.
Foreign-registered vehicles, including those from Singapore, are prohibited from purchasing RON95 and are only allowed to refuel with higher-grade petrol such as RON97 or RON100 at market prices.
At Malaysian petrol stations, yellow nozzles indicate RON95, while green nozzles are typically used for RON97 or RON100. This colour-coding exists to prevent misuse and make enforcement easier.
As a result, many netizens stressed that the issue was not the driver’s nationality, but the vehicle’s registration.
Press the emergency stop button at the pump
The video quickly drew heated reactions online, with many Malaysians expressing frustration over what they saw as an abuse of fuel subsidies.
One netizen commented,
“It doesn’t matter whether the owner is Malaysian or not. If the car has a foreign plate, it cannot use subsidised fuel.”
Another urged the public to act if they encounter similar cases, saying,
“If this happens again, press the emergency stop button at the pump to stop the fuel flow, then report it to the cashier.”
Netizens also claimed the tape may have been used to make the car look Malaysian-registered while refuelling with subsidised RON95.
However, others questioned the logic, noting that there is no Malaysian number plate starting with “L”, which ultimately led to the confrontation seen in the video.
Others echoed the same sentiment, adding,
“We don’t care if you’re Malaysian or Singaporean. If your road tax isn’t paid to Malaysia, please put down the yellow fuel nozzle.”
Several commenters also criticised petrol stations for lax enforcement and called for stricter checks, especially in Johor, where such incidents are frequently reported.
As of now, it remains unclear whether any official action has been taken following the incident.
Watch the clip here:
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