The Star reported that some are trying to pay off medical practitioners to say that they are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 so they could enjoy the perks that those who actually have gotten the jabs have.
According to the report, private clinic and general practitioners have been approached by people who are willing to pay up to RM1,000 to get their vaccination status faked.
Federation of Private Medical Practitioners Associations Malaysia president Dr Steven Chow told the daily that those who have approached doctors may not necessarily be anti-vaxxers but may have other urgent needs such as to travel somewhere.
"The cost of the actual unsubsidised self-paying vaccination in a private clinic is RM350 and to offer RM1,000 for a fake document is suspicious. The authority should investigate and act early," he told the daily.
The report also indicated that police are investigating cases of fake digital certificates being sold online.
The public is advised to never share screenshots of their digital certificates on social media or other public platforms. As for business owners and their workers, they are advised to check the certification on customer's apps and not just a screenshot of it.
Couple arrested over 'social experiment'
An anti-vaxxer couple, who got haircuts and dined-in at restaurants despite not being vaccinated, have been arrested after they brazenly shared their story on Facebook.The post has since been deleted but Facebook user Syed Mohd Faiz Al-Shahab managed to get a screenshot of the original post, which he has shared with the public.
The screenshot shows the wife, whose name on the platform is Mujaheeda Soleha bragging that she and her husband managed to visit several establishments without having to show their digital certificate to indicated that they are fully vaccinated.
She shared that her husband even managed to get a haircut at a barbershop after being rejected by two others.
"The other day, for a few days I did a social experiment after the media reported that those who've gotten two doses can go in here and there. Those who haven't gotten two doses can rot at home, say people who are unhappy with anti-vaxxers," she wrote.
She continued to share account of visiting famous chain establishments and even dining-in at a restaurant after going cycling with her family.
"We just walked in confidently as if we've gotten three doses. We sat, ate, drank and left. Not even one person checked," she shared.
Well, the woman should have kept her "social experiement" to herself or perhaps a select anti-vaxxers group. Unfortunately for her, the police got wind of the family's irresponsible act.
The Star reported that the couple has since been arrested.
They are being investigated under Section 269 and Section 505(b) of the Penal Code, Section 22 (b) of the Infectious Disease Control and Prevention Act 1988 and Section 233 of the Malaysian Communication Commission Act.
Just a reminder to those who don't wish to get vaccinated: your rights ends when you put other people at risk.
You have the rights to not get vaccinated but business owners have the rights to not allow you into their premises, the government has the power to stop you from crossing borders and people who believe in science have the rights to want you to stay away from them.
You want your rights to be respected? Respect other people's rights too.