SINGAPORE: After a social media post alleging a Singapore car driver swapped his number plates for fake Malaysian ones to access cheaper RON95 fuel, Malaysian authorities warned that strict action would be taken against such illegal activities.
On Nov 1, a member of the Facebook group Malaysia-Singapore Border Crossers(MSBC) 马新过境者 posted two photos of a man and his vehicle, writing:
“This guy in the picture changed his vehicle plate number (to) a Malaysia plate (from) a Singapore plate just to fuel petrol. After the pump, he replaced the plate number with the Singapore plate.”
The post author claimed that when he questioned the motorist, the driver allegedly panicked and quickly drove away. He added, however, that he filed a police report based on the motorist’s car registration number.
The police, however, were quoted in a Nov 1 New Straits Times report as saying that no such report has been lodged.
“You made a wrong move, bro,” he wrote, and Malaysian authorities seem to agree.
Azmil Zainal Adnan, Malaysia’s State Road Transport Department (RTD) director, said that placing Malaysian plate numbers on vehicles registered in another country is against Section 108(3)(f) of the RTD Act 1987.
This means violators may be fined between RM5,000 (S$1,511) and RM20,000 (S$6,047). They could also be slapped with a jail sentence of up to five years or both.
RON95 fuel, which is heavily subsidized by the Malaysian government, is only for Malaysian citizens.
However, since the fuel price is significantly more expensive in Singapore, many have attempted to fill their vehicles in Malaysia with cheaper fuel.
At present, RON95 costs RM2.05 per litre, which is around S$0.62. In contrast, Singapore’s least expensive non-diesel fuel costs around S$2.84.
In July, a video of a man fueling up with RON95 into a black Honda with on-Malaysian license plates spread on social media.
The authorities in Kuala Lumpur quickly investigated the matter, having seized payment receipts, CCTV recordings, and business documents from the fuel station.
The New Straits Times noted that neither the pump attendant nor the cashier on duty warned the man, nor did they prevent him from taking RON95 petrol.
Individuals found guilty of selling RON95 to foreigners may be slapped with a fine of not more than RM1 million (S$288,134) or jailed for a maximum of three years for the first offence.
If they re-offend, they could be fined as much as RM3 million (S$864,212) and be sent to jail for up to five years.
However, businesses could pay as much as RM2 million (S$576,155) for the first offence and up to RM5 million (S$1,440,387) for repeat offences. /TISG
Read also: Singaporean car driver caught filling up RON95 fuel in JB; insists he can because he’s Malaysian