MACC Arrests 16 Suspects In False Birth Registration Network

PUTRAJAYA, March 12 (Bernama) -- The Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) has arrested 16 individuals on suspicion of corruption involving the late registration of births of non-citizens to citizens and birth registration using false supporting documents.

MACC deputy chief commissioner (operations) Datuk Seri Ahmad Khusairi Yahaya said all the suspects, aged between 20 and 70, were arrested through Op Outlander and Op Birth starting at 11 am yesterday, involving raids at several premises including clinics and law firms around the Klang Valley and Johor.

For Op Outlander, the main suspect is a civil servant suspected of committing the act by assisting applications for late birth registration, which is for those who are more than 60 days after birth.

“It is believed that this activity was also masterminded by a medical practitioner with the title Datuk Seri who owns several clinics and maternity centres whose role is to issue false birth verification documents,” he said in a statement today.

Through Op Birth, he said the three main suspects were believed to be acting as agents who committed the act by offering and giving a bribe of about RM18,000 to a civil servant.

"This was to assist in the application for birth registration using supporting documents such as hospital birth confirmation letters which were found to be fake.

"Meanwhile, six members of the public suspected of using the services of the agents were also arrested as applicants who submitted the birth registration applications. Also arrested was a legal practitioner suspected of being an intermediary between the agents and the applicants," he said.

Ahmad Khusairi said all suspects were brought to the MACC headquarters and the Selangor MACC to assist in the investigation and will be brought before the Shah Alam Magistrate's Court, Selangor for the purpose of a remand application today.

"The two suspects, including the Datuk Seri who have health problems, were released on MACC bail after recording their statements," he said.

He said the raid was based on intelligence information for about a year as well as cooperation and information sharing between MACC and the National Registration Department (NRD).

"This arrest reflects MACC's strong commitment to ensuring efforts to combat corruption, especially involving public services, to ensure that national security aspects are guaranteed," he said.

The case is being investigated under Sections 17(a) and 17(b) of the MACC Act 2009.

-- BERNAMA