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Buying petrol, including the subsidised RON95 in containers, is allowed, but only within the rules
Malaysians can legally purchase RON95 for personal use in jerry cans or other containers, for a boat, lawnmower, or DIY project. The catch: you cannot fill more than 20 litres at a time without a special permit.
The limit exists for safety, to prevent fuel misuse, and to stop illegal resale or smuggling. Going beyond it, especially repeatedly or in large volumes, can be treated as commercial intent.
What happened with the viral Johor Bahru incident
On 23 March, a man and woman at a petrol station in Mutiara Rini, Johor Bahru, were caught on camera filling 71.77 litres of RON95 into plastic containers hidden in their car boot, more than 3.5 times the legal limit.
After topping up the containers, they also refuelled their vehicle's tank at a different pump. The clip, shared on Facebook, quickly went viral.
The total fuel cost was RM234.69, but the authorities were more concerned about the breach of regulations under the BUDI95 programme.
Following this, the Ministry of Finance confirmed that the couple involved are Malaysian citizens and MyKad holders
In a statement, the Ministry of Finance said it views the incident seriously and has blocked their MyKad from receiving fuel subsidies.
The ministry said the act "clearly violates regulations" by abusing fuel subsidies under the BUDI95 programme and could undermine efforts to ensure subsidies are properly targeted.
It also stressed that the government "will not compromise on any form of subsidy leakage or abuse", adding that enforcement will be stepped up.
Even though container purchases are legal, the rules exist for three main reasons
- Safety: Storing large amounts of petrol in plastic containers increases the risk of fire or explosions.
- Subsidy control: The BUDI95 programme aims to provide targeted fuel subsidies. Large purchases outside vehicles can signal illegal resale or cross-border smuggling.
- Supply stability: Unmonitored collection of large volumes of fuel can strain domestic supply, which is especially sensitive given recent international disruptions in oil transport.
Key takeaway?
Buying RON95 in a container isn't illegal, but exceeding 20 litres without a permit is. Authorities are closely monitoring such behaviour, and the viral Johor Bahru case shows how quickly misuse can be flagged.
Citizens are also encouraged to report suspicious activity at petrol stations to help ensure fuel subsidies reach the intended recipients.
