KUALA TERENGGANU: Police have smashed a syndicate using a fake ‘Datuk Paduka’ card, purportedly issued by the Terengganu palace, to woo unsuspecting contractors to take part in several non-existent road-upgrading projects in the state.
Five suspects in their 30s to 60s, including the 40-year-old mastermind, were rounded up between July 23 and 28, after police learnt of their project tenders through WhatsApp.
It is learnt that the syndicate members had been promoting the projects through social media, which drew the attention of four contractors, some based in Kuala Lumpur.
However, quick action by the police thwarted the syndicate’s attempts to con the contractors of up front payment ranging from RM600,000 to RM1 million each.
Revealing this today, state commercial crime chief Superintendent Koh Ah Tiam said the RM442-million projects promoted by the syndicate members are still at the proposal stage by the state government, with no confirmation from the Federal government.
He said the syndicate members would flash the fake "Datuk Paduka" card to enhance their reputation and credibility when meeting interested contractors.
"They claimed that they could offer the contractors infrastructure projects without going through the tender process.
"All the contractors have to do is just to pay the up front fee starting from RM600,000," he told reporters today.
Police seized fake documents, a computer, mobile phones and the fake "Datuk Paduka" card from the suspects.
Koh sad four contractors almost paid the up front fee via bank drafts as urged by the suspects.
The suspects were remanded for four days to assist investigation. However, they were released on police bail.
The case is being investigated under Section 420/511 of the Penal Code for attempted fraud.