'Honestly quite absurd' - Singaporean criticises those filling up on RON95 in M'sia

The Sun

4 days ago

A Singaporean has sparked fiery debate online after calling out fellow citizens for driving into Malaysia just to pump subsidised petrol — calling the practice 'unfair' and 'absurd'.
In a Threads post that has since gone viral, the man didn't mince his words, criticising Singaporean motorists for taking advantage of RON95, Malaysia's government-subsidised petrol meant strictly for locals.
'As a Singaporean, I really think this practice of cross-border petrol buying needs to stop,' he wrote.
'If someone can afford to pay SGD $100,000 (RM350,000) for a Certificate of Entitlement (COE) but can't afford petrol locally, that's honestly quite absurd.
'Let's be clear — the cheaper petrol across the border is subsidised by the Malaysian government, intended for Malaysians. Singaporeans are not entitled to it, and taking advantage of it undermines the spirit of fairness and bilateral respect.'
The post struck a nerve, triggering hundreds of reactions from both sides of the border.
'Singaporeans pay some of the highest car ownership costs in the world,' countered Redditor @nitsujhok.
'We're among the most heavily taxed motorists globally... trying to save a bit on petrol across the border isn't absurd; it's just being practical.'
'The 'spirit of fairness' should begin at home — maybe we should ask why petrol is so expensive here in the first place.'
Others challenged the assumption that Singaporeans were filling up on RON95 at all.
'Do you really know anyone who uses RON95 in JB?' asked @ditengahtaman.
'Personally, I and many others pay for RON97 — we're not as stingy or entitled as Malaysians think we are. Your post makes it sound like the majority of us are the problem.'
'The only times I've seen claims of Singaporeans pumping RON95 is on the internet,' added @junwei.23. 'Never actually seen it in real life — only RON97.'
'This really has to stop'
Still, many users thanked the original poster for speaking out.
'Louder for those Singaporeans at the back!' said @evnyle.
'Exactly. This really has to stop,' agreed @wakemeupjuliet.