Police in Pekan have detained three individuals suspected of peddling forged medical leave certificates following a complaint filed by the District Health Office on June 10. The arrests took place on June 15 after investigators uncovered the fraudulent operation targeting unsuspecting members of the public.
The three detainees, all in their 30s, include a mechanic, a workshop proprietor and a cleaner. Pekan police chief Supt Mohd Zaidi Mat Zin indicated that the trio functioned as intermediaries within the broader scheme. According to his statement, the District Health Office had received intelligence from someone claiming to have purchased a forged certificate from a local individual connected to a government clinic.
The illicit certificates were being marketed at prices ranging from RM50 to RM200. Upon investigation, the medical officer whose signature appeared on the documents acknowledged that he was reassigned to a different facility in 2023. Furthermore, the stamp utilised on the certificates was an outdated version no longer authorised for use by the clinic.
Authorities believe the operation functioned with structured coordination, where the arrested individuals recruited buyers and handled transactions on behalf of the primary organiser. Investigators are currently pursuing a female civil servant believed to be stationed at a clinic, who is suspected of being the source supplying the fraudulent medical leave documents.
The three suspects are expected to appear before the Pekan Magistrate's Court for remand proceedings. They face charges under Sections 468 and 420 of the Penal Code, which relate to forgery and dishonest conduct respectively.
