In the age of rapid technological advancement, innovation is highly prized, and claiming credit for groundbreaking ideas can often lead to heated discussions. Recently, a debate has ignited on Malaysian Twitter regarding the origin and timing of the RFID (Radio-Frequency Identification) petrol fuelling system, following tweets by users who believe their academic projects may have influenced this innovation.

The Twitter Exchange

The controversy began when a Twitter user, @mustakim_ismail, posted a tweet praising the convenience of RFID fuelling, expressing that it made refuelling vehicles even easier than using traditional cards. This post garnered significant attention from users who celebrated the innovation.

Siapa buat RFID fuelling ni mmg genius. Wehhh aku ingt pakai card tak payah beratur dkt kaunter dah memudahkan, ni lagi mudah rupanya. Smpai depan, petrol pump trus isi minyak. Tau tau dpt resit, tak payah nk tekan apa2. pic.twitter.com/VOyYAev8HW

— mustakim ismail (@mustakim_ismail) September 21, 2023

However, another Twitter user, @meesupmamak, raised suspicions that their university project, which had proposed a similar concept, may have been used without proper credit. The user suggested that their project's report may have been leaked, leading to the development of the RFID fuelling system, which closely resembled their idea.

Aku syak ada lecturer amik project aku ngan alissya ni. Like kitorang propose dulu project ni kat university. Pastu project report leak then lecturer songlap project budak budak pastu dapat jual kat company mana yang nak buat innovation ni. Siot ah tak dapat credit ni https://t.co/Z88vxfyVfz

— meego striker (@meesupmamak) September 22, 2023

Debating the Origins

In response to these claims, several Twitter users pointed out that the concept of RFID petrol fuelling had been in development well before the projects mentioned. One user, @syafilanseyo, noted that the official announcement of TNG RFID Fuelling had been made in February 2020, implying that the idea and research predated the academic projects in question. They further suggested that if the projects were from 2018 or earlier, there might be grounds for a claim.

Tahun bila buat fyp tu bro? sebab TNG RFID Fuelling was first announced in February 2020. The idea and research kebiasaannya dah dikaji sebelum itu. Kalau fyp project tahun 2018 dan kebawah maybe boleh claim

— Syafi Lanz (@syafilanseyo) September 22, 2023

Similarly, @paosjk highlighted the possibility that while the students may have thought they were pioneers, others had been working on the same idea for a while. They suggested that perhaps the academic projects lacked in-depth research, leading to the perception of originality.

Tapi boleh jadi kita ingat kita pioneer untuk project ni tapi bila dah siap rupanya ada org lagi dah buat lama. Cuma kita je tak cukup deep research.

— Cherry (@paosjk) September 22, 2023

Shell's Collaboration with TNG

Crucially, some users clarified that the development of RFID fuelling systems was not necessarily linked to the academic projects. @dyoguma pointed out that Shell's collaboration was with TNG, not with the university where the projects were proposed. They also emphasized that the concept had been explored and patented long before.

Dik, xde maknanya shell nk guna product local dari lecturer you tu. Ini collab dgn tng. Sorry to break this you, you arent the only have this kind of idea. Many did before you even start study. This was patented dah lama kot, you shud did bit more research for your project

— nora (@dyoguma) September 22, 2023

Historical Precedence

@6014RP referred to an article from 2015 about RFID payment systems and noted that TNG partnered with Shell for RFID Payment in early 2020. Furthermore, Shell's headquarters had announced their RFID system in 2019. This historical context suggested that the technology had been in development for years, rendering claims of originality challenging.

Read an article that was made in 2015 pasal RFID payment. While TNG partners with Shell for RFID Payment in early 2020. Shell HQ announced it in 2019 on their website. Hopefully ur project dh published before 2015 at least. So u can claim all u want. pic.twitter.com/gJn3roLqKw

— Maghep (@6014RP) September 22, 2023

Conclusion

While the Twitter debate sparked by @meesupmamak's suspicion raised questions about the origin of RFID petrol fuelling systems, it seems that this technology had a more extended history than initially believed. The debate serves as a reminder that innovation often builds upon earlier ideas and that thorough research is essential when claiming groundbreaking concepts. As the debate continues, it remains crucial to acknowledge and appreciate the collaborative nature of technological advancement.