Man caught on video filling Singapore-registered car with subsidised RON95 petrol in Johor surrenders to police

KULAI, Johor: A man who was caught on video allegedly pumping subsidised RON95 fuel into a Singapore-registered car has surrendered himself to the police, authorities said on Monday (Jan 5).

Kulai police chief Tan Seng Lee told local media that the 63-year-old man and his 67-year-old wife came forward at the Kulai police headquarters after the man was identified. The police did not disclose how or when the man was identified. 

“The investigation paper is still being processed and will be referred to the deputy public prosecutor as soon as possible for further instructions,” Tan was quoted as saying by local media platform The Star.

He added that the case was being investigated under Section 108(3)(e) of the Road Transport Act 1987 for allegedly exhibiting an altered or tampered vehicle registration number.

On Saturday, a video clip of the incident went viral on social media.

It shows a man pumping RON95 fuel – which is only subsidised for Malaysians with locally-registered vehicles – into a car with a partially obscured license plate.

The first and last letters of the car’s number plate appear to have been covered.

The man was then confronted by an individual asking if he was a Malaysian, to which he replied that he was.

According to local media, the Malaysia police said on Jan 4 that the suspect was identified as a Singapore permanent resident.

Police later confirmed to local media that the man allegedly covered the registration number of his Singapore-registered vehicle to pump RON95 fuel at a petrol station in Kulai.

Malaysia’s targeted RON95 petrol subsidy was rolled out in September last year as the government pushes ahead with a long-awaited plan to adjust fuel subsidies and provide cost-of-living relief.