PUTRAJAYA – Despite knowing it was wrong, a man admitted to paying RM30,000 to a fake document syndicate agent to obtain a child.
Revealing the matter, the local man in his 40s said he met a woman who claimed she could arrange the necessary documents and obtain a baby for him to raise as his own.
He said a meeting was arranged at a parking area in Bukit Jalil, Kuala Lumpur.
"I came from Alor Gajah, Melaka, to meet her in Bukit Jalil. She handed me a baby and the related documents needed to register the birth.
"Then, my wife and I went to the National Registration Department (NRD) to register the birth before I handed over about RM30,000 in cash to the woman,” he said after being arrested by NRD officers at his residence in Alor Gajah, Melaka, on Tuesday.
The man, who works in air conditioning services, said the child in his care is now three years old.
He clarified that he made the drastic decision as his marriage had not been blessed with children despite his wife undergoing several in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatments.
"I did think about turning myself in, but I was scared. I kept waiting... sometimes I wonder what will happen when the child grows up,” he said.
Meanwhile, a local woman in her early 30s broke down in tears when questioned by NRD investigators after being suspected of acting as a ‘mule’ by registering a fake birth.
The businesswoman, who is divorced and supports a nine-year-old child, said she was offered cash by a man she met at an entertainment outlet.
"The incident happened around 2022. The man asked me to register a birth at NRD using the documents he gave me.
"After the registration, I handed everything over to him and he paid me RM2,000.
"It was my first time doing this. I admit it was my mistake,” claimed the woman, who lives in Cheras.
Fake birth registration due to illicit relationship
In a separate case, a man resorted to registering a fake birth after an illegal relationship with a Thai woman allegedly resulted in a child.
He paid RM6,000 to a syndicate agent to get the registration done.
The local man, in his early 30s said he met the woman while dealing with a client at an entertainment outlet.
"Luck wasn’t on my side. The woman got pregnant and gave birth to my child.
"Worried about the child’s legal status, I met a man who claimed he could handle the birth documents, including the birth certificate,” he said.
The warehouse manager said he paid RM6,000 for the process, which took around two to three weeks to complete, before his girlfriend took the baby back to Thailand.
"The documents were needed to arrange a passport for the baby,” he added, stating the incident occurred in 2022.
The man, who is married with two children, said his wife is unaware of the situation.
"The child is now in Thailand, and I haven’t seen them since.
"I know it was wrong, but at the time, I felt I had no other choice,” he said when detained by NRD enforcement officers.