Man who filled Singapore car with subsidised RON95 petrol in Johor fined US$2,200 for obscuring number plate
Long Sa Kow, who is a 63-year-old Singapore permanent resident, pleaded guilty to obscuring the registration number plate of this car.
Long Sa Kow, a 63-year-old Singapore permanent resident, arrives at the Kulai Magistrate's Court in Johor on Jan 14, 2026. (Photo: CNA/Zamzahuri Abas)
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KULAI: The man who was caught on video pumping subsidised RON95 fuel into his Singapore-registered car in Johor was on Wednesday (Jan 14) fined RM9,000 (US$2,217) for obstructing the registration number of his vehicle.
Malaysian Long Sa Kow, who is a Singapore permanent resident, was charged under Section 108 (3) (E) of the Road Transport Act for allegedly exhibiting an altered or tampered vehicle registration number.
The offence carries a fine of between RM5,000 and RM20,000, a prison term of one to five years, or both.
In the video that made its rounds on social media, Long was seen pumping RON95 fuel – which is subsidised only for Malaysians with locally-registered vehicles – into a car with a partially obscured licence plate.
The first and last letters of the car’s number plate appear to have been covered.
The 63-year-old - who was clad in a navy blue polo shirt and black cap while wearing a face mask - pleaded guilty at the Kulai Magistrate Court before Judge R Salini.
Salini said that Long will be required to serve nine months imprisonment if he fails to pay the fine.
Long was represented by his lawyer Sharmaine Faizruz Mohd Zulkifli from the Malaysian Legal Aid Foundation.
After the court session, Long did not speak to the media. According to court officials, he paid the fine before leaving the premises.
On Jan 3, a video clip of the incident went viral on social media. Police later confirmed on Jan 6 that Long had surrendered himself.
Meanwhile, earlier on Wednesday, local daily New Straits Times (NST) reported Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry enforcement director-general Azman Adam as saying that Malaysians driving foreign-registered vehicles are not allowed to buy RON95 petrol as the fuel subsidy is linked to vehicle registration, not the driver's nationality.
He reportedly said that the restriction was part of Malaysia's long-standing fuel subsidy control framework, which was aimed at preventing leakages, particularly in border states where price differentials made smuggling and arbitrage lucrative.
"The policy ensures fuel supply is prioritised for Malaysian motorists and helps prevent abuse or misrepresentation that could affect quotas or lead to leakages," he said, according to NST.
