Police in Pekan have arrested three people—a mechanic, workshop owner, and cleaner—on suspicion of selling and forging medical leave certificates. The trio, all in their 30s, were taken into custody around 3 pm following a tip-off received by the District Health Office (PKD) on June 10.

According to Pekan police chief Supt Mohd Zaidi Mat Zin, the three detainees functioned as middlemen in what appears to be an organised scheme. A member of the public had previously reported purchasing a forged certificate from someone who obtained it from a government clinic in exchange for money.

The bogus documents were priced between RM50 and RM200 each. The medical officer whose signature and details appeared on the certificates confirmed he was reassigned to a different facility in 2023 and that the official stamp used was outdated and no longer authorised for use.

Investigators believe the operation was run systematically, with the intermediaries responsible for recruiting buyers and handling transactions. Authorities are pursuing the primary suspect, reportedly a female government health worker stationed at a clinic, who allegedly supplied the counterfeit certificates.

The three suspects will appear before Pekan Magistrate's Court tomorrow for a remand hearing. They face investigation under Sections 468 and 420 of the Penal Code, which cover forgery and dishonesty respectively.