PETALING JAYA: The National Registration Department (NRD), in collaboration with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) intelligence division, busted a syndicate involved in falsifying birth certificates on Tuesday after a year-long joint intelligence operation.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution said the operation, conducted simultaneously across multiple locations in four states – including Putrajaya, Selangor, Penang and Perak – revealed that the syndicate had falsified birth documents by creating and replicating fake documents to resemble official verification from registered and legal private healthcare facilities.
“These fraudulent documents were then used to cheat the NRD for birth registration purposes.
“The syndicate’s modus operandi involved individuals acting as birth informants by submitting fake birth documents at NRD counters during registration. Once an official birth certificate was obtained, it is believed to have been sold on the black market to parents or guardians of children without identification or Malaysian citizenship.
“The syndicate is also suspected of having both domestic and international networks and is likely involved in smuggling undocumented children from abroad to be sold to these parents,” he said.
The operation, codenamed Ops Tumpang, was conducted simultaneously at multiple locations across four states on Tuesday and saw the arrest of 10 local women and eight men.
“Among them, four individuals, including a legal practitioner, are suspected of acting as middlemen between agents and applicants.
“He is also believed to be the mastermind behind the syndicate.
“Meanwhile, the other six have been identified as birth informants. The authorities also seized RM54,000 in cash from the suspects, believed to be proceeds from these illegal activities,” Saifuddin said.
He added that the NRD has not ruled out the possibility of further arrests as investigations progress.
The case is being investigated under Section 36(1)(b) of the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1957 (Act 299) for allegedly providing false information during birth registration.
If convicted, offenders may face a fine of up to RM20,000, imprisonment of up to three years or both.
The case is also expected to be investigated under other laws within the MACC’s jurisdiction.
On Wednesday, it was reported that the MACC arrested 16 individuals, aged between 20 and 70, between 11am and 8pm on Tuesday during Op Outlander and Op Birth, which were conducted across the Klang Valley and Johor.
Among those detained were a civil servant, a medical practitioner with the title Datuk Seri, a legal practitioner, several agents and birth registration applicants.
A total of 12 individuals have been remanded for up to five days until March 16, while four others, including the medical practitioner with the Datuk Seri title, were released on MACC bail for health reasons after their statements were recorded.
