Health Department sickies lead to fake MC ring

The Star: KUANTAN: A Health Department personnel who took too many days sick leave led police to uncover a syndicate selling fake medical certificates (MCs).
The scam came to light when a staff member of the district health office here produced MCs purportedly from the Tengku Ampuan Afzan Hospital's outpatient department four times in a row, prompting an internal investigation.
After checking with Percetakan Nasional, it was found that the MCs were fake as the serial numbers did not match those of MCs issued by government hospitals and clinics.
State commercial crimes department chief Supt Zaini Jass said police started investigations into the case immediately after a report was lodged on Thursday.
The 33-year-old civil servant, he said, was picked up at his workplace in Alor Akar on the same day.
“During questioning the suspect spilled the beans and led us to a middleman. We picked up the second suspect within the next 45 minutes at an office in Kemunting.
“Subsequently, we picked up another middleman and finally nabbed the 30-year-old mastermind at a house in Cenderawasih at 2am this morning (yesterday),” he said, adding that police also seized five booklets containing close to 450 fake MCs from the mastermind.
Supt Zaini said other items seized were three rubber stamps purportedly from the Employees Provident Fund, the hospital's outpatient department and a private clinic.
“We believe the MCs were sold at RM10 each, with RM5 for the mastermind and the rest split between the middlemen,” he said.
According to him, features in the fake MCs included serial numbers printed in red ink, a practice done away with in the 1970s.
He urged employers who were sceptical of MCs produced by their staff to come forward and lodge a report.
Those with information can contact C/Insp Zawahir Yaacob at 09-513 2222, ext 225.