10 charged so far with falsifying vaccine certs

Ten people have been charged in court for falsifying vaccination certificates, says Deputy Home Minister Ismail Mohamed Said.

He said the individuals comprised four in Sarawak, two each in Sabah and Melaka and one each in Kelantan and Perak.

“One person has been convicted in Sarawak and sentenced to jail,” he said during the oral question-and-answer session at the Dewan Rakyat today.

He was responding to a supplementary question from Shaharizukirnain Abd Kadir (PAS-Setiu) on the number of people taken to task for falsifying vaccination certificates in the country.

Ismail said action was taken against them under Section 22 (d) of the Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988 (Act 342).

Ismail said for giving false information, investigations would be conducted under Section 24 of Act 342 (Prevention and Control of Infectious Diseases Act 1988) or the Penal Code.

Section 24 of Act 342 provides a fine not exceeding RM100,000, imprisonment not exceeding seven years or both upon conviction. Under Section 25 of the same law, a compound not exceeding RM10,000 for individuals and RM50,000 for corporations could be issued, he added.

Ismail said the home ministry is committed to taking strict action against those who violate the SOPs enforced under the movement control order and the National Recovery Plan to curb the spread of Covid-19.

He also said the ministry took an approach to balance the aspects of health as well as security and national sovereignty in the issue of vaccination for undocumented migrants.

He was responding to a question from M Kulasegaran (PH-Ipoh Barat) on whether the government could give flexibility to undocumented migrants for them to be given vaccinations instead of being detained for deportation to their country of origin.