GEORGE TOWN: Chief Minister Chow Kon Yeow’s office today issued a statement denying any link to the fake MyKad issue.
Chow’s press secretary Yap Lee Ying said the information contained in a viral picture alleging that Chow and the state government had power to issue MyKad to foreigners, was fake.
The picture depicts an infographics alleging that the chief minister and state government had an absolute right to grant MyKad to foreigners and ask for outsiders to stay out of the state government's business.
“It should be reiterated that the Federal Constitution provides for citizenship matters under the Federal List, not the Common List or the State List.
“Therefore, I represent the Chief Minister, who wants to strongly deny this slanderous statement from irresponsible parties, which is clearly intended to sully the image and reputation of the Chief Minister and the State Government.
“The Chief Minister has also directed his political secretary Teh Lai Heng, who is also the Komtar assemblyman, to make a police report over the issue,” she said.
On Aug 19, the police had arrested 20 people, aged between 32 and 70, including a state National Registration Department (NRD) assistant director, in a special operation on the sale of personal identification documents to Chinese nationals.
Others nabbed were 17 locals, two Chinese nationals and an Indian national.
The suspects acted as agents, middlemen, sponsors and holders of fake birth certificates, MyKads and passports.
Investigation revealed that the syndicate's agents would hunt for foreigners seeking citizenship, and believed to have paid between RM100,000 and RM600,000 for the documents.
They have been remanded for 28 days and investigated under the Security Offences (Special Measures) Act 2012 (Sosma).
On Sept 12, six people, including a state NRD assistant director, were charged in two separate Sessions Courts here with a total 32 counts for various offences in connection with the issuance and sale of MyKads to foreigners.
Yesterday, Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Abdul Hamid Bador said more arrests will be made soon as investigations into the sale of MyKads to foreign nationals intensifies.
He said several state NRD officers would be picked up soon to assist in the investigations.