Man who filled Singapore car with subsidised RON95 petrol in Johor fined US$2,200 for obscuring number plate

The 63-year-old – who was clad in a navy blue polo shirt and black cap while wearing a face mask – pleaded guilty at the Kulai Magistrate Court before Judge R Salini. 

Salini said that Long will be required to serve nine months imprisonment if he fails to pay the fine. 

Long was represented by his lawyer Sharmaine Faizruz Mohd Zulkifli from the Malaysian Legal Aid Foundation. 

After the court session, Long did not speak to the media. According to court officials, he paid the fine before leaving the premises. 

On Jan 3, a video clip of the incident went viral on social media. Police later confirmed on Jan 6 that Long had surrendered himself. 

Meanwhile, earlier on Wednesday, local daily New Straits Times (NST) reported Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry enforcement director-general Azman Adam as saying that Malaysians driving foreign-registered vehicles are not allowed to buy RON95 petrol as the fuel subsidy is linked to vehicle registration, not the driver’s nationality.

He reportedly said that the restriction was part of Malaysia’s long-standing fuel subsidy control framework, which was aimed at preventing leakages, particularly in border states where price differentials made smuggling and arbitrage lucrative.

“The policy ensures fuel supply is prioritised for Malaysian motorists and helps prevent abuse or misrepresentation that could affect quotas or lead to leakages,” he said, according to NST.