SYNDICATE FORGING BIRTH DOCUMENTS TO DECEIVE JPN BUSTED

PUTRAJAYA, March 13 (Bernama) -- A syndicate has been uncovered for submitting forged birth documents to deceive the National Registration Department (JPN) into issuing legitimate birth certificates, which were then sold on the black market, according to Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail.

He said the syndicate’s modus operandi involved several individuals posing as birth informants, submitting fake birth documents designed to resemble official verification from registered private healthcare facilities.

This tactic was used to trick JPN into issuing authentic birth certificates.

He said these birth certificates were believed to have been sold to parents or guardians of children without identification documents or Malaysian citizenship.

“This syndicate is also suspected of having international connections and is likely involved in trafficking undocumented children from abroad before selling them to these parents,” he told a press conference here today.

Saifuddin Nasution said the syndicate was busted on Tuesday in "Ops Tumpang", a joint operation by JPN and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

A total of 10 local suspects were arrested in simultaneous raids across Putrajaya, Selangor, Penang and Perak.

“Four of them are believed to be the masterminds behind the document forgery syndicate, while six others were identified as birth informants.

“JPN does not rule out further arrests as investigations progress,” he said, adding that the syndicate is believed to be led by a married couple -- a lawyer and a medical officer -- who were among those arrested.

He said the syndicate had been operating for over three years and had obtained more than 80 birth certificates using this method.

The case is being investigated under Section 36(1)(b) of the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1957 (Act 299) for submitting false birth registrations.

-- BERNAMA