Malaysian petrol station under probe after S’pore-registered car caught pumping RON95 petrol

SINGAPORE – A petrol station near Kuala Lumpur is being investigated by the Malaysian authorities after a motorist driving a Singapore-registered car was caught pumping subsidised RON95 petrol.

The man, who was driving a white luxury sedan, is also believed to have paid using an overseas credit card, even though foreign-issued credit and debit cards are banned at the pump in Malaysia.

The Selangor Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN), in a Facebook post on April 26, said it received a complaint at its Petaling Jaya branch about the car being filled up at a Shell petrol station with RON95 petrol.

Photos of the motorist pumping RON95 were also circulated on the Singapore Road Vigilante’s Facebook page on April 25. The Facebook page is dedicated to traffic matters such as accidents and traffic offences caught on camera.

The Shell station is in the Sea Park neighbourhood in Petaling Jaya, according to the caption that accompanied SGRV’s post. Petaling Jaya is a city near KL.

According to KPDN investigations, the driver of the Singapore-registered car paid using a credit card, and filled up with RON95 petrol.

KPDN said a case has been filed against the petrol station, and copies of related documents were later seized for further action and investigation.

Since April 1, drivers of foreign-registered vehicles are banned from buying RON95 petrol, after the ban on foreign-issued credit and debit cards at petrol pumps came into force.

Under Malaysian law, only Malaysia-registered vehicles can buy RON95 fuel, which enjoys subsidised pricing. Malaysian citizens driving Singapore-registered cars are also barred from buying RON95, which costs RM1.99 (64 Singapore cents) a litre, with subsidies.

On April 10, a man driving a Singapore-registered car was for the first time arrested by the Malaysian authorities for filling up with RON95 petrol in Johor.