RON95 ‘theft’: “RM1m fine isn’t enough; jail petrol station operators who sell RON95 to foreigners”

 

WITH smuggling and foreigners taking advantage of cheap fuel often cited as one of the reasons behind the country’s whopping RM80 bil subsidy in 2023, it is little wonder that many Malaysians are aghast at the sight of cars bearing Singaporean/Thai registration plates making pit stops at petrol kiosks nationwide.

While the vehicle owners are free to re-fuel with the ‘free float’ RON97 (currently RM3.47/litre) or diesel which price post the lifting of subsidy as of June 10 is RM3.35/litre, the yellow RON95 nozzle which price has remained unchanged at RM2.05/litre since 2018 is definitely a no-no.

Amid the soaring cost of living, Malaysians at large would want the magical RM2.05/litre to stay for as long as possible even after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim assured yesterday (July 22) that the subsidy rationalisation on RON95 will not arise at this moment.

For now, the government wants to focus on explaining the rationalisation of diesel subsidies to the people first, according to Anwar who is also the Finance Minister,

Therefore, rights conscious Malaysians greeted news that the operator of a petrol station near Sungai Bakap in Penang faces a penalty of up to RM1 mil on after being caught selling subsidised RON95 to a Singapore-registered car owner with thumbs up as both buyer and seller should be made liable for such offence.

The Penang Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry director S Jegan who was aware of the incident which went viral on social media confirmed that a CCTV (close circuit camera) footage inspection found that the petrol kiosk allowed a foreign vehicle to fill up subsidised petrol at 2.24pm on Sunday (July 21).

As one netizen insisted that the kiosk owner ‘should be jailed in addition to the RM1 mil fine”, many regard strict enforcement as necessary to ensure petrol station operators be more responsible and law-abiding with regard to who they can sell the RON95 petrol to.

This, they contended, is one ideal solution compared to an across-the-board lifting of fuel subsidy which is likely to inflict hardship to Malaysians in view of the spill-over inflationary effect to the economy.

As for the car owner, netizens suggest that enforcement at borders should be beefed up to nab and fine the culprit “S$10k for filling up the yellow fuel and perhaps S$20k for the second offence”.

For the record, the Selayang Sessions Court had on April 26 fined a petrol station operator along the PLUS Expressway rest & recreational (R&R) service area RM30,000 in lieu a six-month jail term for selling 48.78 litres of RON95 petrol to a Thai-registered car.

This followed media reports of a viralled recording on the X platform showing two individuals filling up with subsidised petrol which sparked various negative reactions from netizens who disputed the actions of foreigners who are becoming more daring in breaking the law. – Focus Malaysia