MACC busts syndicate forging birth certificates

The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested 12 people comprising two government agency officials, four private medical doctors, and six civilians believed to be involved in the forging of birth certificates to register adopted children as biological.

A source said that the suspects, aged 42 to 81, were detained at about 6pm yesterday in separate raids at several areas in the Klang Valley.

The source said that applicants would pay bribes either personally or through middlemen to doctors at certain clinics to obtain fake birth certificates, where the child to be registered was not actually born at the facility. 

It is understood that certain doctors would sign the form confirming the births at the clinics even though these never took place. 

"With this confirmation, the applicants or middlemen would manage the registration of the child's birth.

"If any doubts arose, the applicant would be told that the application could not be processed and that he or she must wait for further action," the source said. 

"The government agency counter would then refer this application to the Special Investigation Division to open an investigation file."

According to the source, the applicant or middleman would then try to deal with government agency officials.

If they were rejected or blacklisted, they would attempt to bribe the officials to obtain approval for their application. 

It is understood that bribes of RM2,000 to RM6,000 were involved in each case. 

When contacted, MACC intelligence division director Azmi Kamaruzaman confirmed the arrests. 

He said the case was being investigated under Sections 17 and 18 of the MACC Act 2009.

All 12 suspects will be brought to court today for remand applications.