KUALA LUMPUR – The Petroleum Dealers Association of Malaysia (PDAM) has called for viable solutions to stop foreign-registered vehicle owners from buying RON95 petrol.
It said fuel station workers faced challenges from the significant penalties imposed if they sold subsidised petrol to foreign vehicles, yet were unable to take further action against foreign buyers.
“Our frustration lies in the limited ability to further address these incidents beyond halting the sale at the point of purchase. We lack the legal means to report or penalise drivers of foreign-registered vehicles who misuse subsidised fuel.
“We are also unable to engage in conflict with the culprits as it may escalate into untoward incidents,” PDAM said in a statement today.
Due to the absence of such legislation, PDAM said petrol station staffers face difficulty in monitoring and preventing foreign-registered vehicle drivers from buying subsidised fuel, often covertly and at odd hours.
“It is crucial to emphasise that the funds used to subsidise RON95 came from Malaysian taxpayers.
“Being bystanders or witnesses to incidents, instead of taking photographs or videos and spreading them via social media, we encourage the public to collaborate with us by immediately informing our cashiers or forecourt staff when they observe such incidents,” it added.
Yesterday, the Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry said it raided a fuel station in Melaka for allegedly selling subsidised RON95 fuel to a foreign-registered vehicle.
The incident came to the ministry’s attention after a video showing a man refuelling his car, which carried a foreign number plate, with RON95 fuel went viral on social media.
If found guilty of the offence under Regulation 21(1) of the Control of Supplies Regulations 1974, the fuel station operator could face a fine of up to RM1 million, imprisonment for up to three years, or both.
Since a directive implemented on June 17, 2022 prohibiting the sale of RON95 fuel to any vehicle, including motorcycles, with foreign registration numbers, PDAM has repeatedly urged for penalties to extend to the drivers involved as well.
In January, PDAM president Datuk Khairul Annuar Abdul Aziz said placing the burden solely on local dealers is unfair, questioning why the government had not legalised penalties on foreign-registered vehicle owners.
In March last year, a petrol station owner was fined RM40,000 at the Johor Baru sessions court after he pled guilty to allowing a Singapore-registered vehicle to fill up with RON95 petrol in 2019. The case is said to mark the first time such an offence was brought to court.
On April 26, another petrol station owner was fined RM30,000, in default six months’ jail, by the Selayang sessions court after he admitted to selling the fuel to a Thailand-registered vehicle in January. – June 20, 2024