An Indonesian woman who allegedly paid RM200 for a copy of another person’s MyKad said she did so because she wanted to find work in Malaysia.
The 37 year old woman, identified as Lifa, was detained during Ops Layar at a printing factory in Bandar Sultan Suleiman on Wednesday.
“I came here only to earn money. I did not know that what I was doing was an offence,” she said.
Photo on MyKad allegedly replaced with hers
Reported by Kosmo!, Lifa, who is from Sulawesi, Indonesia, claimed that she paid approximately RM200 to obtain the identification document.
She reportedly gave her photograph to the person who prepared the document, who then replaced the original photo on the MyKad with hers.
I only used the copy of the identity card to find a job. I just wanted to earn money and did not know that this was an offence,” she said during a press conference following the operation.
According to Lifa, she entered Malaysia through an illegal route in June before finding work at the printing factory, where her salary was paid in cash.
Another woman allegedly paid RM250 for fake MyKad copy
Another Indonesian woman, identified as 37 year old Rini from West Java, was also detained during the operation.
She was suspected of using a copy of a fake MyKad to obtain employment in Malaysia.
Rini claimed that she paid around RM250 to an individual who was introduced to her by a fellow Indonesian.
She previously worked at a grocery shop before joining the printing factory, where she reportedly earned around RM95 per day.
Rini also claimed that she had previously been deported from Malaysia and that her passport had been blacklisted.
However, she allegedly returned to the country through an illegal route after paying approximately six million rupiah.
She said she used the fake MyKad copy solely to make it easier for her to secure employment.
Three women detained during operation
Putrajaya National Registration Department Enforcement Division director Mazhad Abdul Aziz said Ops Layar was conducted following a month of intelligence gathering.
The operation was aimed at tracking down individuals suspected of misusing identification documents.
A total of 67 officers were involved, comprising 52 National Registration Department officers from Putrajaya, Selangor and Kuala Lumpur, 10 Immigration Department officers and five Selangor Labour Department officers.
Authorities inspected 195 individuals during the operation, including 63 Malaysians who possessed valid identity cards.
Three women aged between 21 and 37, all believed to be Indonesian nationals, were detained on suspicion of using copies of fake MyKads or MyKads belonging to other people to secure employment.
Offenders face prison and a fine
The case is being investigated under Regulation 25(1)(e) of the National Registration Regulations 1990.
Those convicted may face up to three years in prison, a maximum fine of RM20,000, or both.
Mazhad said the NRD conducted 738 enforcement operations between January and 31 August, resulting in 365 arrests and prosecutions.
Of these, 286 cases involved the use of fake identity cards or identity cards belonging to other people.
Another 79 cases involved the use of fake birth certificates under the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1957.
During the same operation, the Immigration Department inspected 129 individuals and129 individuals and detained six over suspected offences under the Immigration Act.
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