M'sian petrol station staff accidentally fills customer's car fuller than they asked, station wants customer to pay for excess fuel

A petrol station in Kluang, Johor, has drawn online backlash after publicly posting a customer's car photo, licence plate number and appearance on social media to track him down for payment.

This follows a staff error that caused his tank to be filled up more than he had asked for.

According to Sin Chew Daily News, a Threads post by the petrol station employee had accidentally set the fuel pump to "full tank" mode before serving the customer, resulting in a full tank being dispensed when the customer had not requested one.

The customer left without paying the full amount. The station then took to social media, posting the car's photo, licence plate and the customer's appearance, and asked him to return to settle the outstanding payment.

Netizens say the station should absorb the cost

The post drew criticism from many netizens, who argued that the station had no business making the mistake public.

One netizen wrote:

“The petrol station worker made the mistake, so why does the customer have to pay?"

Another commenter, who said they had worked at a petrol station before, noted that staff are usually the ones who end up absorbing such losses, adding that extra change left behind by customers who do not collect it typically accumulates over time and is used to cover any shortfalls.

Customer may not have known

Some netizens also raised the possibility that the customer had left without realising his tank had been topped up in full, Sin Chew reported.

Under Malaysia's RON 95 fuel subsidy scheme, BUDI 95, it can be difficult for customers to distinguish between the actual amount paid and the subsidised portion, making it harder to notice any discrepancy at the pump.