On January 14, 2026, a 63-year-old Malaysian man who is a Singapore permanent resident was fined RM9,000 (approximately S$2,850) by a magistrate’s court in Kulai, Johor. The sentencing follows a viral incident in which the man, Long Sa Kow, was filmed using black tape to partially cover the registration plate of his Singapore-registered vehicle to illegally purchase subsidised RON95 petrol.
Long was charged under Section 108(3)(e) of the Road Transport Act for displaying a vehicle registration plate that did not belong to his vehicle. The charge falls under the broader category of furnishing false statements or registration. During the court proceedings before Magistrate R. Salini, Long pleaded guilty but initially raised objections regarding the specific wording of the charge. He argued that he had not "altered" or "changed" his physical plate. This led to a brief recess in the court session. When the proceedings resumed, the prosecution clarified that police investigations showed Long had "concealed" specific letters on his plate to change the appearance of his registration from "SLJ8967M" to "LJ8967." Long agreed with this clarification and maintained his guilty plea.
The incident that led to his arrest occurred earlier in January and gained widespread attention on social media. A video showed Long refuelling a silver Volkswagen Jetta at a petrol station in Kulai, about 30km from Johor Bahru. The footage clearly showed that the first and last letters of his Singaporean car plate were covered with black tape, making it appear as a different registration. Following the viral spread of the video, Kulai district police received a formal report on January 4. On January 5, Long and his 67-year-old wife surrendered themselves at the Kulai police headquarters to assist with investigations.
The motivation behind the tampering was linked to Malaysia’s BUDI95 fuel subsidy scheme, which was introduced in September 2025. Under this policy, Malaysian citizens with valid MyKad identity cards and Malaysia-registered vehicles are entitled to buy RON95 petrol at a subsidised rate of RM1.99 per litre, subject to a monthly cap of 300 litres. In stark contrast, non-citizens are required to pay RM2.60 per litre for the same fuel. Furthermore, foreign-registered vehicles—such as Long's Singapore-registered Volkswagen—are prohibited from purchasing RON95 altogether and must instead buy premium RON97 petrol. As of January 14, RON97 was priced at RM3.11 per litre, significantly higher than the subsidised rate.
Deputy Public Prosecutor S. Thiviya urged the court to impose a sentence that would serve as a strong deterrent. She emphasized that the act was a deliberate attempt to abuse rights and privileges reserved for Malaysian citizens. The prosecution argued that the sentence should send a clear message to the public that tampering with car registration numbers for personal financial gain is a serious offence. Long’s lawyer, Sharmaine Fairuz Mohd Zulkifly, appealed for leniency, noting that it was Long’s first offence. She informed the court that Long is a retiree without a fixed income, supporting a wife who is a homemaker and three children, two of whom are still students.
The law provides for a fine ranging from RM5,000 to RM20,000, a prison term of one to five years, or both for such offences. Magistrate R. Salini ultimately settled on a fine of RM9,000. Long paid the fine immediately after the sentencing was delivered. This case highlights the increased vigilance of both the public and Malaysian authorities regarding the misuse of fuel subsidies, especially following the implementation of the BUDI95 scheme. The use of social media as an enforcement tool was also evident, as the viral video played a central role in identifying the offender and bringing the case to court within ten days of the report.
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