KUALA LUMPUR: Ten people, comprising nine men and a woman, were slapped with fines ranging from RM700 to RM2,000 after admitting to deceiving the authorities when applying for birth certificates and MyKad.
The accused, aged between 55 and 69, were charged with providing false birth information on their adopted children yesterday.
They were charged separately in six Magistrate’s Courts with offences under the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1957 (Act 299) and the National Registration Regulations 1990.
Under Act 299, they were charged under Section 36(b) with wilfully or knowingly furnishing or permitting false information.
The Act provides for a maximum fine of RM2,000, imprisonment not exceeding 12 months or both, while the National Registration Regulations provides for a prison term not exceeding three years, a fine not exceeding RM20,000 or both, upon conviction.
All of the accused were arrested at the National Registration Department’s Investigation and Enforcement Division in Putrajaya on Wednesday following a probe under Ops Foster 2.0.
Last month, the court filed charges against 15 people.
Early this month, The Star reported that the National Registration Department said more people were expected to be charged in connection with the investigation into birth certificates containing false details.
According to the department, a total of 159 birth certificates had been identified as having discrepancies.