Malaysia Probes RON95 Sale to Foreign Vehicle

New Delhi, January 10, 2026: A significant investigation has been launched by Malaysian authorities following the viral spread of a video showing a foreign-registered vehicle being refuelled with subsidised RON95 petrol. On January 9, 2026, the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Cost of Living (KPDN) in Kedah confirmed that an enforcement team was dispatched to a petrol station in Sungai Petani after a one-minute recording surfaced on social media. The footage, which shows a petrol station worker directly involved in the transaction, has sparked widespread public outcry over the perceived abuse of national subsidies.

CCTV Confirms “Authentic” Breach

The authenticity of the viral video was verified by KPDN directors after a thorough inspection of the petrol station’s closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage. It was confirmed that at 9:07 AM on the day of the incident, a foreign-registered car was indeed permitted to purchase the subsidised fuel. An official investigation paper has since been opened, with authorities seizing sales receipts, digital recordings, and other relevant documents. This case is being treated as a serious breach of the Control of Supplies Act 1961, which strictly prohibits the sale of RON95 to non-Malaysian registered vehicles.

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The “Black Tape” Tactic and Singaporean Surrenders

This latest probe follows a string of similar incidents across the border regions, including a high-profile case in Kulai, Johor. In that separate event on January 4, 2026, a 63-year-old Singapore permanent resident was caught on camera allegedly using black tape to partially obscure his vehicle’s licence plate to mimic a local registration. After the video went viral and a police hunt was initiated, the man and his wife surrendered to the Kulai district police. They are currently being investigated under the Road Transport Act for tampering with vehicle identification.

Stricter Enforcement and Heavy Penalties

The Malaysian government has reiterated that a “zero-tolerance” policy is being enforced regarding the sale of subsidised fuel to foreigners. It was reminded by KPDN officials that all petrol station operators were issued a fresh prohibition order as recently as April 2025. Under the law, individual operators found guilty of allowing such sales face fines of up to RM1 million or three years’ imprisonment, while companies can be fined up to RM2 million. These measures are intended to ensure that the multi-billion ringgit petrol subsidy benefits only Malaysian citizens and locally registered vehicles.

Protecting the National Subsidy

As of January 10, 2026, the investigation remains active as authorities seek to determine if the Sungai Petani incident was an isolated mistake or a systemic failure at the station. Citizens are being encouraged to continue reporting such sightings to the KPDN via their official WhatsApp or e-aduan portals. While the “RON95 saga” continues to trend online, the government’s swift response serves as a stark warning to both foreign motorists and petrol station staff that the digital eyes of the public are always watching.