The issue of Singapore-registered vehicles buying subsidised fuel has been a long-standing issue, with several vehicle owners being stopped and caught.
However, such perpetrators allegedly currently do not face any punishment as only the dealer can be fined up to RM1 million or jailed for three years for not stopping such foreigners.
Hoping to change this is Petrol Dealers Association of Malaysia (PDAM) communication and media secretary Gordon Lim, who recently shared that the association is calling for a legislation to penalise foreigners that do so.
According to Lim, it was difficult for petrol dealers to keep a watch on foreign cars that use petrol pumps located at the far end of stations and use credit cards to quickly fill up.
“It is unfair to penalise petrol station dealers. The dealers do not want to sell RON95 to foreigners. The profit margin in such transactions is minimal, so it’s not practical or worthwhile to break the law.”
“As long as the buyers are not penalised, they will always keep trying,” said Lim.
Lim said the issue had to be handled through systemic reforms and enforcement rather than imposing such conditions on petrol dealers.
Meanwhile, Lim also said that stationing an attendant at each pump to monitor foreign vehicles was not viable as it would drastically escalate operational costs, which could lead to substantial losses for operators.
“It would also defeat the self-service policy at petrol stations,” he said.
What do you think? Let us know in the comments.
Also read: WATCH: S’porean Gets Scolded by Petrol Station Attendant After Trying to Refuel Car with RON95 in JB
