KOTA KINABALU: A MyKad application scam led Sabah police to smash a fake identity card syndicate.
Sabah Police Commissioner Datuk Jauteh Dikun said a woman lodged a report claiming she lost RM20,000 after learning her MyKad application was not in the National Registration Department (NRD) database.
"The woman, 30, lodged a report on March 13.
"We activated Ops Pugo, which revealed a much bigger scam," he told a press conference here on Wednesday (May 20).
He said the six-day operation, which ran from May 7, resulted in the detention of nine suspects aged 36 to 61; five of them were Filipinos and Indonesians.
Comm Jauteh said police also seized multiple documents such as MyKad application forms, copies of applicants' identification documents, photographs of applicants and special residential programme documents.
Equipment believed to be used in the scheme was also seized, together with copies and original birth certificates, copies of passports, fake identification cards and NRD stamps.
"We are investigating this case under various laws including the Penal Code and the National Registration Regulations 1990," he said, adding that jail and fines could be imposed on those found guilty.
He stressed that there would be no compromise on any activities that threaten the country's safety and sovereignty.
"Those with information on such activities are urged to report them to the authorities immediately," he said.
