A Thai-registered vehicle was recently caught at a petrol station in Sungai Petani, Kedah, pumping RON95 fuel, sparking public concern over the misuse of Malaysia’s subsidised petrol.
A video lasting 1 minute and 7 seconds has gone viral, showing a man walking back to his car, believed to have paid, while a petrol station worker fuels the Thai-registered vehicle.
A Malaysian man filming reminded the man that RON95 fuel is strictly reserved for Malaysian-registered vehicles.
According to Malaysian rules, foreign vehicles, including those from Singapore and Thailand are not allowed to purchase RON95.
The driver then tried to explain by saying the car belonged to his “daughter-in-law”, and that his “son is a local.”
However, the person filming responded firmly, saying, “It’s not about who you are — it’s about the car. This is a foreign-registered vehicle, so it can’t use RON95. You must pump RON97 instead.”
Looking helpless, the man then asked, “So what now?” to which the filmer replied, “You’ve already pumped it. I’ll have to report this.”
Throughout the exchange, the petrol station staff appeared passive, finishing the fueling and returning the pump to its place without any reaction.
RON95 rules in Malaysia
According to the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN), RON95 is a subsidised fuel meant only for Malaysian-registered vehicles. All foreign vehicles are strictly prohibited from using it and must opt for unsubsidised fuel such as RON97.
Petrol station under investigation
Following the incident, the Kedah KPDN has launched an investigation into the petrol station involved. In a statement released by its director, Muhammad Nizam Jamaludin, the authorities have seized receipts, CCTV footage, and relevant documents.
He confirmed that the viral video is authentic and that the incident happened on the morning of Jan 7 at 9.07 am.
CCTV footage showed the station staff actively refueling the foreign-registered vehicle with RON95, which is a violation.
He added that petrol stations across the state had already been notified on April 29, 2023, about the ban on selling RON95 to foreign vehicles.
Heavy penalties if convicted
Under the Control of Supplies Act 1961, individuals caught violating the rule may face a fine of up to RM1 million, a jail term of up to 3 years, or both.
Repeat offenders can be fined up to RM3 million or jailed for 5 years. For companies, the fine can reach up to RM5 million.
