Police in Pekan have detained three people, including a woman, for their suspected involvement in selling and forging medical leave certificates. The arrests came following a complaint lodged by the District Health Office on June 10. The three suspects — a mechanic, workshop owner and cleaner, all in their 30s — were apprehended at approximately 3 pm and allegedly served as intermediaries within the operation.

The scheme came to light after the District Health Office received information from someone claiming to have purchased a forged certificate from a local individual. That person had allegedly obtained the document from a government clinic in exchange for payment. Pekan police chief Supt Mohd Zaidi Mat Zin said the counterfeit certificates were offered for sale at prices ranging from RM50 to RM200 each.

Investigations revealed that the medical officer whose name appeared on the certificates had been transferred to another workplace in 2023. The stamp used on the documents was also found to be outdated and no longer authorised for use. This discovery corroborated suspicions that the certificates were indeed forged rather than legitimate documents.

The operation appeared to function in a coordinated manner, with the arrested individuals responsible for identifying buyers and handling transactions. Police are now searching for the principal suspect, believed to be a female government employee attached to a clinic, who is thought to have supplied the forged certificates to the intermediaries.

The three detainees will face the Pekan Magistrate's Court tomorrow to request an extension of their custody pending further investigation. Both Sections 468 and 420 of the Penal Code have been invoked in connection with the case, covering forgery and cheating respectively.