Cover image via 
Several women have allegedly been paid to pose as biological mothers for undocumented newborns in order to secure Malaysian birth certificates, according to the National Registration Department (JPN)
Some of these women were said to receive regular payments and have repeatedly allowed their names to be used in birth registration forms, JPN director-general Badrul Hisham Alias told Harian Metro.
The scheme was uncovered following the arrest of 10 individuals, including six women, under a joint operation with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC) carried out nationwide.
Badrul said the women involved would act as birth informants and submit forged confirmation documents listing their names as the biological mothers. The birth certificates issued were then handed over to agents to be sold on the black market, he alleged.
In some cases, men were also found registering as the biological fathers of babies acquired from third parties — including undocumented children, babies born out of wedlock, or foreign infants — with the aim of securing Malaysian birth certificates and, eventually, identity cards.
"These actions are shortcuts that bypass the legal processes for adoption and citizenship applications," he said.
Image via Bernama
Preliminary investigations revealed a network of agents and syndicates who recruit individuals to "lend" their names as parents and handle all documents, including forged medical letters and birth confirmations
According to Badrul, these syndicates charge adoptive families or buyers for a full "package" that includes a child and official identification documents.
He said investigations are ongoing under Section 36(1)(b) of the Births and Deaths Registration Act 1957 (Act 299).
Badrul stressed that JPN has never appointed agents to manage any matters related to personal documents such as identity cards or birth certificates.
He urged individuals or families involved in irregular birth registrations to come forward voluntarily at any JPN office, assuring that they need not fear repercussions if they were previously misled.
JPN will assist in regularising documentation according to existing procedures.
"JPN remains committed to cracking down on birth certificate forgery syndicates and will continue enforcement operations to tackle irregular registrations," he said.
Previously, 25 individuals were arrested under the same operation for their involvement in similar activities.
