KUALA LUMPUR: The government is prepared to consider setting up a royal commission of inquiry (RCI) to look into the syndicate selling Malaysian birth certificates and MyKad to foreigners, if there is a need for it in the future, the Dewan Rakyat was told yesterday.
Deputy Home Minister Datuk Mohd Azis Jamman said the police had been given the full authority to investigate the case which occurred in Penang last month.
“It is under investigation. Now six people have been charged and let the legal process go forward. If in the future we need to establish an RCI, we will
consider it.
“To date, 11 MyKad have been blacklisted,” he said when replying to a question from Datuk Ahmad Jazlan Yaakub
(BN-Machang).
On Sept 11, police arrested 20 individuals, including a National Registration Department (NRD) officer on suspicion of being involved in the illegal issuance and sale of Malaysian birth certificates and identity cards.
The following day six men aged between 34 and 66, including a Penang NRD assistant director, were charged in court on 32 counts related to the issuance and sale of birth certificates and identity cards to foreign nationals.
On Oct 3, the High Court set five days, beginning April 6 next year, to hear the case of an assistant director of the Penang NRD and five others who are facing 13 charges in connection with the issuance and sale of illegal birth certificates and identity cards to foreigners.
Mohd Azis said the ministry is looking at ways to enhance and improve the standard operating procedure (SOP) of the system.
Other measures included increasing the frequency of surprise inspections and level of security, he added. – Bernama
