KUALA LUMPUR, Sept 4 — The Social Security Organisation (Socso) has been ordered to restructure its standard operating procedure (SOP) for claims, including for permanent disability benefits, said Human Resources Minister Steven Sim Chee Keong.
The directive, he said, was a follow-up to the fraudulent claims issue involving three medical officers allegedly attached to several Penang hospitals.
He said all claims for Socso benefits involving those hospitals have been temporarily suspended.
“Socso, through an internal probe by its Anti-Fraud, Ethics and Integrity Division this year has uncovered the existence of the cartel.
“Socso has also worked closely with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission in carrying out the anti-cartel operation, dubbed Ops Tunjang, since July 2,” he told a media conference here today.
Sim said 32 people have been arrested up to yesterday on suspicion of being involved in the cartel, with losses estimated at over RM2 million.
He said the operation will continue nationwide in collaboration with the Health Ministry to identify the presence of the cartel in other hospitals.
“The Human Resources Ministry and Socso do not compromise on this matter and will fight such cartel activities to the fullest.
“The allocation of social protection benefits should be channelled to contributors and their eligible and deserving next of kin,” he said.
The media reported that two senior medical officers at a government hospital and a specialist doctor at a private hospital in Penang were among the 32 people who had been remanded for two days to assist in the investigation into false Socso claims in the state.
— Bernama
