The Malaysian Industrial Commercial Service Employers Association (MICSEA) has welcomed the Ministry of Health’s (MOH) proposed digital Medical Certificate (e-MC) system, saying the initiative could strengthen transparency and curb the growing misuse and forgery of medical certificates (MCs) in Malaysia.
MICSEA said the proposed system was a timely measure to address concerns surrounding fake MC syndicates, identity theft involving medical practitioners, and fraudulent sick leave certificates that have affected employers and workplace productivity.
MICSEA President Mr Y.K. Lai said the issue of fake MCs had evolved beyond a workplace concern into a broader national integrity issue, with significant financial and operational implications for businesses.
“Fake MCs are no longer merely a workplace issue — they have become a national integrity issue that costs Malaysian employers billions of ringgit annually,” he said.
Citing data from the Malaysian Employers Federation (MEF), MICSEA said about 26% of employees surveyed admitted to pretending to be ill to obtain sick leave, while 57% of employers reported encountering employees who had taken MCs without reasonable grounds.
The federation also estimated that MC misuse had cost employers approximately RM5.05 billion annually, taking into account salary costs, medical expenses, productivity losses, overtime payments, and replacement manpower.
MICSEA said employers had long faced difficulties in verifying the authenticity of medical certificates, with fraudulent MCs creating additional burdens for businesses and unfairly affecting employees who use medical leave responsibly.
“For many years, employers have struggled with the challenge of verifying the authenticity of medical certificates. While the majority of employees use medical leave responsibly, there is growing evidence that a significant number of MCs are being misused, fraudulently obtained, or outright forged,” Lai said.
The association said the implementation of a secure e-MC platform could improve verification processes by enhancing traceability and making it more difficult for individuals and syndicates to produce fake medical documents.
MICSEA added that the system would also help protect legitimate healthcare practitioners whose identities and credentials had been misused by fraudulent operators.
Reports have previously highlighted the ease of obtaining fake MCs, including cases where certificates were allegedly sold online without medical consultations and counterfeit documents were circulated through social media platforms.
While supporting the initiative, MICSEA stressed that employees who submit fake or fraudulently obtained MCs should face appropriate disciplinary action, subject to proper investigations and due process.
“Submitting a fake or fraudulently obtained MC is not a minor offence. It is a serious breach of trust and integrity that may amount to misconduct,” the association said.
However, MICSEA emphasised that the e-MC system should complement existing human resource practices rather than replace fair investigations and proper disciplinary procedures.
The association urged MOH to expedite the development and implementation of the e-MC system while engaging employers, healthcare providers, and relevant stakeholders to ensure the platform is practical, secure, and effective.
MICSEA said it remained ready to support initiatives aimed at improving workplace integrity, reducing fraud, and promoting a more accountable workforce.
