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Going Gas Hunting From US to Mexico, Singapore to Johor Show Humans Are Alike Everywhere
By Mihar Dias
(C) Copyright April 2022
Recently one of our senior ministers told Singaporeans planning to buy cheap petrol not to bother visiting Johor Bahru. Reuters reported that Mexican border states are facing similar problems with American motorists driving south looking for cheap gas (petrol).
Fuel prices spiralled since the Russia-Ukraine war broke out. Americans living in the border areas were driving into Mexico looking for cheaper petrol.
Reuters reported Mexico which has been subsidizing petroleum for its citizens said the policy would not apply from April 2-8 in states in the U.S. border region, because of shortages as more Americans drive South to fill up their tanks.
Suspension of subsidy will cover cities in the border states, including Tijuana, known as one of the world’s most busy border crossings. The government said there is a shortage in the area because of “an imbalance between supply and demand”.
The Singapore-JB crossing is comparable to Tijuana. It is one of the busiest border crossings in the world too, with 350,000 travellers moving in and out daily. The number dropped to zero during the pandemic and might peak again soon when everything is back to normal.
So, when the Malaysia-Singapore causeway reopened on April 1, the gas hunters returned with a vengeance. Photos of Singapore registered vehicles refuelling at Johor Bahru filling stations went viral.
Paul Tan of paultan.org showed a driver of a Singaporean-registered Toyota Estima refuelling with RON95, our “subsidised” fuel. Another Facebook user uploaded a Singapore registered vehicle doing likewise at a Petronas station.
This is where the Mexicans might learn something from us in Malaysia. We do not stop our subsidies outright just because kiasu wealthy neighbours drive north for cheaper gas. We only prevent foreign-registered vehicles from refuelling with subsidised petrol like RON95, almost ten years ago, in fact since August 1, 2010.
The subsidies for RON95 are meant for Malaysian motorists only. Foreigners may buy other brands for example RON97.
Mexico’s subsidy was implemented as a means to fulfil the government’s promise to insulate consumers from sharp price hikes at the pump as experienced in Malaysia.
Extra revenue gained from higher oil prices is used by the government to subsidise domestic petrol prices.
Back in Johor Bahru, RON95 is sold at a subsidised price of RM2.05, cheaper than RON97 at RM3.91 a litre.
According to Paul Tan, in Singapore RON95 is RM9.31 (SG$3) a litre, while others may start from SG$3.47 (RM10.77) per litre.
Besides RON95 restrictions, there is a Three-Quarter Tank Rule Singaporean motorists must abide by when crossing the border. Under Singapore Customs Act 1960, the tank of a car crossing the border into Malaysia must be three-quarters full. A violation may result in a fine of SG$500.
This is supposed to discourage Singaporeans from driving their car with empty tanks to fill up with “cheaper” fuel in Johor Bahru and then make a U-turn back to the island.
This practice was adopted by motorists near Tijuana on the border of Southern California. They entered Mexico with empty tanks fuelled up and happily made a U-turn back across to sunny California.
Singapore’s government knows the behaviour of their kiasu citizens so they imposed the three quarters (tiga suku) rule.
On the other hand, there is no known penalty for a Singaporean vehicle surreptitiously buying RON95 in Malaysia although notices clearly warn foreigners not to purchase that brand of fuel. But under the Control of Supplies Act 1960 and the Control of Supplies Regulations 1974 an individual may be fined one million and a company three million ringgit for selling subsidized petrol to foreigners.
Our senior minister knew the trick used by our kiasu neighbours and had told them to stay home. Or if they were coming into Johor Bahru be “tiga suku” as required by their government.
Mexican ministers might soon realise that they too are subsidising the Gringos and would politely say “Yankey go home!”.
Humans are alike wherever they might be. They are all motivated by greed!
Mihar Dias is a content writer under Headliner by Newswav, a programme where content creators get to tell their unique stories through articles and at the same time monetize their content within the Newswav app.
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