GEORGE TOWN: Three senior doctors in public hospitals in Penang have been arrested by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) over their alleged links to a cartel said to have been falsifying Social Security Organisation (Socso) disability claims, according to a source.
The source said two were picked up from the Seberang Jaya Hospital and one from the Bukit Mertajam Hospital this morning.
There’s a likelihood that more will be arrested soon in connection with the cartel that has been making Socso claims with falsified documents with the help of doctors working in cahoots with them, the source told FMT.
FMT has reached out to MACC chief Azam Baki for comment.
SPONSORED CONTENT Sinyi Group Founder, Chou Chun-Chi, Wins 2024 Asia Pacific Enterprise Award and Expands Sustainable Tourism Ventures in Sabah, Malaysia Kota Kinabalu: The 2024 Asia Pacific Enterprise Awards, hosted by Enterprise Asia, aims to recognize the most outstanding business leaders and organizations in the Asia-Pacific region. Read more In July, senator Dr RA Lingeshwaran urged the human resources ministry to clear the air over the alleged suspension of doctors handling Socso disability claims said to be linked to a cartel that falsifies such applications.
He told the Dewan Negara that the panel was suspended until further notice after Socso discovered the racket at a hospital in Penang.
Lingeshwaran, who is a former director of Sungai Bakap Hospital, said he was made to understand the cartel was lobbying for the suspended panel to be brought back to the same hospital.
He reminded the upper house that there were 683 fraudulent withdrawals between 2018 and 2022 involving some RM43 million and that 16 of these cases involved one particular doctor whose services were terminated after the discovery.
He also asked how many had been charged in court over the matter, adding that all those involved must be brought to justice.
Lingeshwaran added that reports on all the fraud cases must be made public as what we know is just the tip of the iceberg
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