Curious boss helps expose fake MC syndicate

JOHOR BARU: A curious employer asking after his staff led to the uncovering of a syndicate forging and selling fake medical certificates (MCs) from the Sultanah Aminah Hospital here.

The fake MCs were mainly sold to civil servants and Malaysians working in Singapore for RM25 a piece via a middleman.

State commercial crime chief Asst Comm Mohd Salleh Abdullah said the syndicate came to light after the employer made enquiries with the hospital management on the MCs given to one of his staff.

“Fake MCs with the hospital’s rubber stamp bearing its name and serial number were sold at RM25 each to buyers through a middleman,” he told reporters at the Johor Police Contingent headquarters here yesterday.

Four men, aged between 28 and 37, were arrested in Tampoi, Kam­pung Melayu Majidee, Taman Bukit Kempas and Taman Desa during raids on May 3 and 5, he said.

“We found, among others, 60 fake MCs with serial numbers, five fake MCs with serial numbers as well as the rubber stamp of a medical officer, seven fake MCs without se­­rial numbers, three rolls of yellow paper and 59 pieces of the front cover book for the MCs,” said ACP Mohd Salleh.

Police, he said, also seized six rubber stamps with the names of six doctors, another with the name of the hospital’s Outpatient Depart­ment medical officer as well as one with the name of a medical officer at the Jalan Mahmoodiah Outpatient clinic.

ACP Mohd Salleh also advised police personnel not to buy fake MCs just to get several days off from work, warning that action could be taken against them.

“They are not only at risk of losing their jobs but can also be arrested and charged in court for producing fake documents,” he said.