Marang based doctor arrested for allegedly selling fake Covid-19 vaccine certificate
10 Jan 2022 03:30pm
Terengganu state police chief Datuk Rohaimi Md Isa said the clinic selling fake vaccination certificates charges between RM400 to RM600. -- Bernama Photo.
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Terengganu police chief Datuk Rohaimi Md Isa said the 51-year old doctor was detained at his clinic in a joint raid by the police and the Terengganu State Health Department after several reports were lodged on the activity.
"Initial investigations revealed that a total of 1, 900 individuals had dealt with the clinic (for vaccination purposes) and we are still investigating how many of them did not actually get the shot but only got the false vaccination certificates instead.
"It was understood that each individual who would like to get their hands on the fake certificate have to pay between RM400 and RM600, compared to the actual vaccination which only costs RM300," he said in a press conference at the Terengganu Police Contingent headquarters, here, today.
Rohaimi said those who were not from Terengganu were also believed to have used the doctor's service to obtain the false certificates.
" We find that most of the customers were dealing with the suspect online, so we will try to get information from the emails on the laptop that was also confiscated from the clinic," he said.
He said the doctor who claimed to be an anti-vaxxer was believed to have carried out the activity alone in the treatment room without the help of the other staff from the clinic.
"Although the doctor admitted to being an anti-vaxxer, he had already received the Covid-19 vaccine, possibly due to the demands of his career as a doctor," he said.
He said the suspect was believed to have used an agent who was given a commission of RM50 to promote his services and the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code.
According to Rohaimi, the doctor's actions was not only a crime but could gravely affect the health of the community.
At the same press conference, Terengganu JKN Director Datuk Dr Kasemani Embong said the private clinic has been allowed to provide paid vaccinations since September, last year, and checks revealed that the clinic had applied to be a Covid-19 vaccination centre (PPV), but it had not been approved.
Kasemani said there are clinics that have yet to be appointed as a PPV but can provide paid vaccines produced only by Sinovac.
He said paid vaccinations are decreasing because there are already enough vaccines to be given away for free at the appointed PPVs.
"We will wait for the results of the police investigations for further action against these doctors and clinics," he said, adding that the registration of the clinic and the doctor's licence could be revoked if he was found guilty. -- Bernama.
