KULAI, Jan 14 — A 64-year-old Malaysian man with Singapore permanent resident status was fined RM9,000 by the Magistrate’s Court here today for using a Singapore-registered car with a false number plate to illegally purchase subsidised RON95 petrol.

The accused, Long Sa Kow, pleaded guilty before Magistrate R. Salini after the charge was read to him in English. The court also handed down a nine-month prison sentence if he fails to pay the fine.

The charge stated that Long, as the driver of a silver Volkswagen Jetta with the authentic Singapore registration number SLJ 8967M, had displayed a number plate that did not belong to the vehicle at a petrol station on Jalan Johor Bahru-Ayer Hitam at 10.30pm on January 2.

The case gained public attention after a one-and-a-half-minute video went viral on social media, showing an individual confronting the elderly couple in the car.

In the video, the couple claimed they were Malaysians before leaving the station. Police investigations confirmed that the driver had obscured the letters ‘S’ and ‘M’ on the plate to mimic a Malaysian registration number.

Long was charged under Section 108(3)(e) of the Road Transport Act 1987, which carries a fine of up to RM20,000, a maximum prison sentence of five years, or both upon conviction.

During mitigation, his lawyer from the National Legal Aid Foundation, Sharmaine Fairuz Mohd Zulkifli, requested a minimum fine.

She argued that Long is a pensioner with no regular income and supports his unemployed wife and two school-going children.

“This is the accused’s first offence and he promises to comply with the laws and regulations set by the Malaysian government,” she said.

However, Deputy Public Prosecutor S. Thiviya requested a deterrent sentence.

“The sentence is not only meant for the accused to not repeat this act, but also as a future lesson to others,” she argued.

Separately, the Johor Domestic Trade and Cost of Living Ministry has confirmed that action has also been taken against the petrol station operator for violating the Control of Supplies Regulations 1974.