A 36-year-old Singaporean man is being investigated by Malaysian police after he drove off from a Johor Bahru Shell station without removing the fuel nozzle, tearing down the petrol pump in the process. He may face a fine of up to RM300 (about S$91).
According to Shin Min Daily News, the incident happened around 10.17pm on Saturday (Oct 18) at a Shell station in the Skudai area of Johor Bahru. The silver Singapore-registered car had just finished refuelling when the driver allegedly forgot to remove the nozzle and drove off, yanking the entire pump down and causing serious damage.
The whole scene was witnessed by a female student who recorded the incident and uploaded the video on Facebook. The clip quickly went viral overnight, sparking heated discussion online. Many netizens criticised the driver for being careless and said the accident could have led to something much worse.
A petrol station employee, who did not want to be named, told reporters that no one was injured and the car itself was not damaged. The worker added that the driver repeatedly apologised and was fully cooperative, even accompanying the staff to lodge a police report. The incident soon drew the attention of the Malaysian police.
Johor Bahru North police chief Assistant Commissioner Balveer Singh Mahindar Singh said in a statement that police received a report about the incident at around 12.19am the next day.
Investigations showed that the 36-year-old Singaporean had forgotten to return the nozzle after refuelling, and when he drove off, the attached nozzle pulled the pump down, causing major damage.
The case is being investigated under Section 10 of the Road Transport Act 1959 for failing to control a vehicle properly, resulting in an accident. If convicted, the driver may be fined up to RM300 (around S$91.70).
Police have urged anyone with information about the case to contact the local authorities.
