Don't even think of pumping Ron95 in JB, the authorities are now watching closely
A Singapore-registered Toyota sedan hoisted up at a Malaysian petrol station.
PHOTO: Facebook/Quck Wee Chye
PUBLISHED ONApril 04, 2022 5:32 AMByAmierul RashidDriving to Malaysia for a day out tends to end with a pit stop at a petrol station before heading home.
After land borders reopened last Friday (April 1), some Singaporean drivers seem to have forgotten that foreign-registered vehicles are not allowed to be fuelled with Ron95 petrol.
The number of online photos that have surfaced on drivers openly pumping their Singapore-registered vehicles with the yellow-nozzled Ron95 have prompted swift rebuke from the Malaysian authorities.
Malaysia’s Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs have come out to say that they intend to put a stop to the sale of subsidised petrol such as Ron95 to foreign-registered vehicles, reported the New Straits Times.
Minister Datuk Seri Alexander Nanta Linggi called for more aggressive monitoring to be carried out at all petrol stations in a statement yesterday (April 3).
"The ministry has also ordered all state ministry offices bordering Singapore and Thailand to intensify monitoring and inspections as well as to take stern action against any party," that violated the law, he added.
He said that the enforcement division have been instructed to trace the Singapore-registered vehicle, reported Malaysian news portal Free Malaysia Today.
Johor Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry director Mohd Hairul Anuar said that petrol station owners found to have sold Ron95 to foreigners could be investigated under the Control of Supplies Act, reported The Star.
Under the Control of Supplies Act 1961 and Control of Supplies Regulations 1974, individuals can be fined up to RM1 million (S$321,000), or jailed three years or both if found guilty while entities and companies can be fined a maximum of RM2 million, reported The Straits Times.
Even former Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Razak weighed in on the issue on Facebook, arguing that Ron95 are only for Malaysians.
He said that Ron95 is currently being sold at $0.65 per litre while Ron97, which may be sold to foreigners, goes for $1.25 per litre.
However, Singaporean drivers cannot claim ignorance of this law - the ban has been in place since August 2010.
Much of the recent clamour can be attributed to recent photos going viral showing Singaporeans returning to their usual antics at Malaysian petrol stations, including hoisting their cars up while at the petrol station to seemingly get more petrol into their cars.
A Malaysian netizen did not take kindly to these actions arguing that they will stand up to "any Singaporean whoever try to pump our Ron95".
On Reddit, a user noted that some petrol stations have signs to remind foreigners of the Ron95 ban.
They added: "However, the onus should be shared between the driver as well as the petrol kiosk."
The Petrol Dealers Association of Malaysia president Khairul Annuar Abdul Aziz has since come out to say that it is not feasible to constantly monitor all vehicles at petrol stations purchasing Ron95, reported Free Malaysia Today.
Khairul said that to ensure Ron95 is only used by locals, this may require up to 10 people at the pumps.
"If we are provided with the funds, then we can engage more workers, otherwise we can't afford it," he added.
Apart from Singapore-registered vehicles pumping Ron95 over the weekend, there's also been a viral clip of Singapore-registered vehicles driving recklessly in Malaysia.