Police have arrested four more individuals to assist in investigations into an alleged syndicate involved in the sale and purchase of fraudulent medical leave certificates (MCs) in Pekan.
Pahang Police Chief Datuk Seri Yahaya Othman said the suspects, all believed to be buyers and aged in their 40s, were detained in separate locations around the district on Wednesday.
He said investigators will record statements from the four individuals as part of efforts to complete the ongoing investigation.
“Meanwhile, the five individuals arrested earlier, including a public servant who works as a nurse, were released on police bail on Friday after their remand period ended,” he said.
Yahaya was speaking to reporters after attending the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between the Malaysian Islamic Economic Development Foundation (YaPEIM) and the Pahang Police at the Pekan Municipal Council Convention Hall.
According to him, the case is being investigated under Section 468 of the Penal Code for forgery for the purpose of cheating and Section 420 of the Penal Code for cheating.
The case first came to light after the Pekan District Health Office received information on May 12 regarding the alleged sale of medical leave certificates among employees of a factory in the district.
Acting on intelligence and investigations, police launched an operation on June 15 and arrested five suspects aged between 30 and 55.
The suspects comprised three individuals believed to be middlemen, a government clinic nurse suspected of supplying the fraudulent certificates and another individual believed to have obtained and used the documents.
Investigations revealed that the certificates carried the name and official stamp of a medical officer who had been transferred from the clinic in 2023.
Further checks also found that the serial numbers on the certificates originated from an official medical certificate book that had previously been issued to a government health clinic in the district.
Police believe the fraudulent certificates were sold for between RM50 and RM200 each through several intermediaries responsible for sourcing customers.
Authorities are continuing investigations to determine the full extent of the operation and identify any additional individuals involved in the alleged syndicate.
The case has raised concerns over the misuse of official medical documentation and the potential abuse of sick leave privileges within the workplace.
