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More Pump Attendants Stationed in JB Petrol Stations After S’poreans Found Pumping Fuel Illegally

2022-04-06 , 7:04 pm

Although it’s not uncommon for Singaporeans to head up north in search of cheaper petrol, did you know that there is a certain type of petrol that we’re not allowed to pump?

If you don’t, here’s what you need to take note of before you cross the causeway.

RON95 petrol, which is subsidised by the Malaysian government, is only reserved for Malaysia-registered vehicles.

You can watch this video to know more about this:

However, it seems like there has been quite a number of Singapore-registered vehicles that have been trying to scrimp on petrol by pumping RON-95 petrol instead, which has led to petrol station operators having to “take extra measures” to make sure that Singaporeans do not do so.

According to Malaysian news agency The Star, Singaporeans have been spotted trying to pump petrol at various locations and times.

Situation at Jalan Bukit Chagar

Mohd Hasif Jamaludin, a supervisor at a petrol station near Jalan Bukit Chagar, told The Star that workers were now stationed near the various petrol pumps in order to better handle the situation. Part of their job scope now involves keeping a lookout for foreign-registered vehicles as they pump fuel.

“There were some customers with Singapore-registered cars who wanted to pump RON95 petrol and we had to explain the government’s regulation to them.

“We also came across customers who argued with us about it, but we firmly insisted that they could only pump RON97 petrol according to the law,” he said.

Additionally, he also brought up how it was now mandatory for cashiers to ask every customer pumping RON95 fuel if they were operating a Malaysia-registered vehicle.

They would need to ask the customers to indicate which vehicle was theirs before allowing them to purchase the subsidised petrol.

Mohd Hasif also mentioned that there were personnel from the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry patrolling petrol stations in the area after several videos of Singaporeans buying RON95 petrol went viral on social media.

Situation at Johor Baru

The Star also interviewed a manager of another petrol station located in the Johor Baru city centre.

The manager, who went by Boo in the interview, recalled that there were some Singaporeans who tried to pump RON95 over the past few days.

“We came across instances where Singaporean motorcyclists tried to pump RON95 by using a credit card directly at the kiosk.

“To avoid getting caught, they would use the pumps located further away from the station’s cashier counter or convenient store,” he described.

However, none of those drivers were able to get off scot-free.

“We were able to stop them in time as we have workers monitoring the vehicles that come in. We have to keep our eyes open at all times,” he mentioned.

Boo also highlighted how some customers did not take the Malaysian government’s restriction well and chose to take their frustration out on the petrol station’s workers instead.

“They argued that the government’s ruling does not apply to motorcycles, but that is not the case. Starting from October 2020, all foreign-registered vehicles, including motorcycles are not allowed to buy RON95 in Malaysia,” he explained.

Situation at Taman Pelangi

On the other hand, Mohd Firdaus Yahaya, a petrol station cashier near Taman Pelangi seems to have had a better experience with Singaporeans trying to pump RON95 petrol.

He claimed that when compared to pre-pandemic days, there has been a decrease in the number of Singapore-registered cars that have pumped petrol at the station that he works at over the past few days.

“Some asked beforehand if they could purchase RON95 and we had to explain to them that it is only for Malaysian-registered vehicles,” he recounted.

“For now, cashiers have been tasked to monitor the cars from a distance. With more Singapore-registered vehicles entering Johor since the border’s reopening on April 1, we have two or three people monitoring the situation at the kiosks,” he concluded.

Singaporeans’ Reaction to Pumping RON95

While some Singaporeans have been caught red-handed while in the act of trying to save on petrol, others have expressed their disapproval.

When interviewed by The Star, Singaporean Siti Aidah Abdul Rahman, 39, expressed her hopes for Singaporeans to follow the laws set out by the Malaysian government.

“It would not be fair for us to buy RON95 as it would be like taking away resources meant for others. It is a shameful thing,” she explained.

She also spoke up regarding the now-viral photos and videos of Singaporeans apparently pumping RON95 petrol.

“At the same time, I hope that the public will not be quick to judge as the supposed viral photos of Singaporeans filling up their cars with RON95 could possibly be edited.

“I have never and would not even attempt to buy RON95 as I know it is not my right. It is a matter of integrity. Other Singaporeans feel the same way as well,” the senior sales coordinator concluded.

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However, it may also be the case that some Singaporeans are genuinely unclear about the rules regarding pumping RON95 petrol in Singapore.

The Star interviewed Stanley Chin, who is a Malaysian working in Singapore.

“After seeing online photos of Singapore-registered vehicles filling up with RON95, I quickly sent reminders in my family WhatsApp group as a handful of my relatives are now Singaporean citizens and plan to visit Malaysia soon.

“Some of them were still clueless about the fact that they are not allowed to purchase RON95,” he described.