Fake birth registration syndicate offered up to RM50,000 in bribes, says source

KUALA LUMPUR: The syndicate involved in submitting fake birth registration forms, dismantled by the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) on Wednesday (April 16), is believed to have offered bribes of between RM5,000 and RM50,000 to facilitate the illegal purchase of babies and preparation of falsified birth certificates.

According to a source, initial investigations uncovered transactions amounting to RM400,000, with the syndicate believed to have been operating since 2021.

“The MACC is still working to identify the mastermind behind the operation. Preliminary findings indicate that agents advertised their services through social media and personal connections,” the source told Bernama here Friday (April 18).

On Wednesday, 14 individuals aged between 28 and 49 years old were remanded until April 20 for allegedly submitting registration forms containing false birth details. These births were not recorded by the hospitals listed in the documents.

The case is being investigated under Section 18 of the MACC Act 2009.

Meanwhile, Selangor MACC director Hairuzam Mohmad Amin@Hamim, when contacted, said efforts are ongoing to track down more individuals or agents involved in supplying babies and preparing the fake documents.

He did not rule out the possibility of further arrests in the near future. — Bernama