A criminal syndicate facilitating non-citizens in obtaining Malaysian birth certificates through delayed registration is believed to be charging fees ranging from RM8,000 to RM10,000 upon completion of the process at the National Registration Department (NRD).
According to insider sources, birth certificates sold on the black market can fetch significantly higher prices, potentially linking the operation to human trafficking activities.
The source revealed to Berita Harian that if a baby is included in the transaction, the price can soar to hundreds of thousands of ringgit.
Process birth certificates in advance
Preliminary investigations conducted by the NRD and the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) indicate that the syndicate does not process birth certificates based on existing newborns.
Instead, they allegedly complete the application in advance and later sell the documents.
“They submit all necessary documents, including the LM01 birth confirmation form signed by a doctor, the mother’s health record book (Buku Pink), and the identity card of the purported parents.
“This allows them to register the birth undetected, as NRD staff assume the child was born at a legitimate clinic or maternity center,” the source explained.
Further investigations revealed that a 55-year-old female lawyer, along with three accomplices, orchestrated the scheme by hiring individuals to act as ‘witnesses’ to the births.
Fraudulent birth certificates will be revoked
It was also discovered that the falsified birth certificates were exclusively issued at the NRD headquarters in Putrajaya. However, the syndicate maintained operational networks in Penang, Perak, and Johor.
Once the investigation is concluded and all involved parties are charged, the NRD will revoke the fraudulently obtained birth certificates,” the source added.
Earlier reports indicated that on Tuesday (11th), the MACC launched operations Op Outlander and Op Birth, conducting raids across Klang Valley and Johor.
The operations, which took place between 11 AM and 8 PM, resulted in the arrest of 16 individuals aged between their 20s and 70s. Among those detained were a civil servant, a Datuk Seri doctor, a practicing lawyer, as well as several agents and applicants.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution recently disclosed at a press conference that the syndicate managed to fraudulently obtain 80 legitimate birth certificates over a span of three years.
