This news merely confirms what we all know best. See monkey do monkey. One Singaporean learned the trick and went on to teach thousands of them. In an almost pyramidical schematic of things, more and more Singaporeans are behaving like monkeys in petrol stations around Johor Bahru.

By ramping up its left rear wheel, Singaporeans can pump extra petrol in otherwise empty spaces. Why do they do that? Of course to save money with the heavily subsidised petrol from Johor Bahru. The last petrol station before the causeway is this really long Caltex petrol station directly opposite the Singaporeans favourite Johor Bahru shopping joint, City Square (incidentally owned by Singapore’s GLC). As this petrol station’s business comes mainly from Singaporeans rather than Malaysians, it is of little wonder that this petrol station actually helps Singaporeans in their quest to push their dollar a bit further.

With every petrol pump, you are allowed to borrow a wooden ramp which will jack up your wheel slightly.This will in turn tilt your car sideward and hence you can pump in extra litres. The cost saving is probably less than a plate of char kway tiau. But it is enough to push costs conscious Singaporeans into action even though there is risks to themselves (though yet to be proven in real life).

Prior to the ramp, it has been common practise for a number of years that Singaporeans will bounce their car up and down to fill in the air pockets. Every time you see a jumping car in Johor Bahru’s petrol station, you can be sure it is a Singapore registered car.

Is this the image Singaporeans would like to portray to the general public? Especially in its neighbour, Malaysia’s soil? Would local Malaysians see Singaporeans exploiting their subsidised petrol or they couldn’t careless?