Clinics flooded with calls to buy Covid-19 digital certs

GEORGE TOWN: Several clinics here have been bombarded with calls from anti-vaxxers who wanted to buy digital Covid-19 vaccination certificates.

One of them even offered to pay RM1,000 just to get his hands on the certificate, but without getting vaccinated.

A general practitioner in Gelugor said in the last two weeks, they received about 10 calls about Covid-19 digital certificates.

“We started offering Sinovac vaccines at our clinic in the second week of August. But within the first week, my staff had already received two calls specifically to purchase e-certificates.

“Last week, we got more than six calls. My staff told me one person even offered a RM1,000 bribe for the fake certificate.

“I was shocked and angry because I felt humiliated. Never in my 15 years of service as a medical doctor has anyone offered me money to lie and cheat,” she said yesterday.

The medical practitioner said she posted the conversation on Facebook to alert the public.

“I hope that the public will be considerate and don’t resort to buying fake vaccination certificates.

“The fake certs won’t be able to protect you or your family from the deadly virus, but the vaccines could.

“Our country can only achieve herd community if everyone does their part by getting vaccinated,” she said.

Several other clinics here were also solicited for vaccine certificates.“The reason given by the caller was that with the certificate, he can move around more freely,” said another general practitioner.

Consumers Association of Penang (CAP) education officer NV Subbarow said so far, CAP had not received any complaints.

“We urge the public not to even consider buying fake certificates. You are putting your life and the lives of others at risk,” he said.

Penang police chief Comm Datuk Mohd Shuhaily Mohd Zain said so far, no reports have been made regarding forged digital certificates on the MySejahtera app in Penang.

“We will conduct our investigation under the Penal Code.,” he said.

In Kedah, it was reported that police had opened an investigation paper on the alleged sale of fake digital vaccination certificates after it was highlighted on social media.

Comm Kamarul Zaman advised the public to be more careful and not to fall prey to unscrupulous people who were selling fake certs.

It was also reported that a senior doctor at Hospital Sultanah Bahiyah posted on Facebook that fake certificates were being sold at RM15 each.