Cops bust fake MC syndicate run by heart patient after probing own officer with too many leave

New Straits Times

06-07-2025

SUNGAI PETANI: Three men, including a real heart patient, have been arrested for allegedly producing and selling fake medical certificates (MCs) following an internal investigation into a police officer who frequently took medical leave.
Kuala Muda police chief Assistant Commissioner Hanyan Ramlan said the illegal operation came to light after suspicious government-issued MCs submitted by the officer were reviewed.
Acting on the tip-off, police raided a premises in Taman Songket Indah here at 4.30am on June 26.
"A man in his late 40s was arrested. Police also seized around 20 fake MCs, a tablet, laptop, printer, a doctor's name stamp and A4 paper believed to have been used to produce the fake documents," he said during a press conference at the Kuala Muda police headquarters today.
Hanyan said preliminary investigations showed the suspect had been selling fake certificates for RM25 to RM30 per day of medical leave.
He said the man is believed to have been running the operation for the past two years, using the names of doctors who had treated him and inventing fake job titles for the stamps.
"Each time the suspect received treatment at a hospital, he would memorise the attending doctor's name to be used on the forged stamp.
"Most of the names used were real, but the titles were inaccurate. His main targets were civil servants and police personnel.
"Those caught submitting fake MCs are believed to have met the suspect at eateries near the hospital," he said.
Following the initial arrest, two other men in their 30s were also detained for allegedly acting as middlemen to connect buyers with the suspect.
The case is being investigated for cheating and forging documents. All three suspects have been released on police bail after their statements were recorded.