KUALA LUMPUR: A few years ago, a bank officer was shot dead at her workplace by a security guard when he pulled off a heist.
The man was discovered to be an Indonesian, who had used a fake MyKad, identifying him as a Sabahan, to secure employment.
He has been sentenced to death for the murder, but the threat of people with fake identities remains.
Last year, the National Registration Department recorded 273 cases of foreigners being in possession of fake MyKad.
While not all are prone to becoming cold-blooded murderers, their presence is a threat to the country in many ways.
Professor Dr Mohd Kamarulnizam Abdullah, a professor in National Security at the Department of International Affairs at Universiti Utara Malaysia, said foreigners in possession of fake documents could get access to facilities and subsidies meant for Malaysians.
“We do not know the background of those who possess fake MyKad.
“They could be criminals in their home countries, or even terrorists.
“Being in possession of such documents could give them access to ‘sensitive’ areas, such as Bukit Aman, the Home Ministry or the Defence Ministry.
“They may have access to classified information when they’re at such places, and this can bring harm to the country.
“These people also pose economic and social threats, depriving locals of work opportunities,” he told the New Straits Times recently.
Kamarulnizam said it was difficult for enforcement officers to determine whether a person had a fake MyKad without the proper equipment.
“It is hard to differentiate between a genuine MyKad and one that is a high-quality fake.
“It is high time for officers to carry a mobile device that will allow them to check if identity cards are authentic.”
The onus is also on employers to make the extra effort to ensure the authenticity of job applicants’ MyKad by checking with
the authorities.
Criminal analyst Kamal Affandi Hashim said it was a common practice among illegal immigrants, fugitives and criminals to acquire fake documents to secure jobs.
“The by-product of this method is the ‘invisible cloak’ that presents many security concerns.
“Enforcement officers often find fake documents during operations and intelligence-gathering.”
He said it would take time to eradicate the problem, adding that a systematic approach was needed.
He suggested a bigger allocation for the acquisition of mobile devices used to check whether MyKad were genuine or forged.