An internal investigation into a policeman who frequently applied for medical leave has led to the discovery of a fake medical certificate (MC) syndicate operating in Kedah.
Kuala Muda District Police Chief, Assistant Commissioner Hanyan Ramlan, said the syndicate was exposed after authorities reviewed suspicious government-issued MCs submitted by the officer in question.
Following the lead, police conducted a raid at a premises in Taman Songket Indah at around 4.30am on 26 June.
During the raid, a man in his late 40s was arrested.
Police also seized about 20 fake MCs, a tablet, laptop, printer, fake doctor’s name stamps, and sheets of A4 paper believed to be used in the production of the counterfeit documents.
Selling sick leave for RM25–RM30 per day
Initial investigations revealed that the man had been selling fake MCs for RM25 to RM30 per day of leave, with no medical checks involved.
He is believed to have been running the illegal business for the past two years.
Reported by Harian Metro, the suspect had previously received treatment at a hospital and memorised the names of doctors who attended to him.
He then used those names to create forged MCs, adding made-up job titles.
Many of the names used were of actual doctors, but the job positions were not accurate,” Hanyan said.
Civil servants & cops among buyers
The syndicate’s main targets were reportedly civil servants and police personnel who wished to obtain medical leave without visiting a clinic.
These individuals are believed to have met the suspect at eateries located near hospitals.
Following the initial arrest, police detained two other men in their 30s who are suspected to be middlemen.
They allegedly helped to bring in customers who wanted to purchase fake MCs without undergoing any medical consultation.
The case is currently being investigated under Section 420 and Section 468 of the Penal Code for cheating and document forgery.
All three individuals have been released on police bail after their statements were recorded.
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