This article first appeared in The Edge Malaysia Weekly on January 17, 2022 - January 23, 2022

Senior Defence Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Hussein rightly called for quick action to uproot syndicates selling fake Covid-19 vaccination certificates and maximum punishment for those found guilty of the unforgivable act.

Not only are they endangering public health by selfishly profiteering amid a national and global pandemic — likely by abusing the authority entrusted to them since Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Adham Baba said blockchain technology makes it impossible to forge vaccination certs — the perpetrators would also have sabotaged the country’s economic recovery, if there are spikes in Covid-19 cases caused by anti-vaxxers moving about freely with fake certificates. These selfish acts also potentially increase the burden on overworked frontliners who have served the country tirelessly.

Then there’s the national embarrassment and potential travel-related issues that could arise if other countries were to raise doubts over vaccination certifications issued here.

Anti-vaxxers who buy these fake certificates should be handed maximum punishment for endangering the majority of people who chose to be part of the solution to Covid-19 by getting vaccinated. Those who choose not to get the jab should live with the consequences of their choice because restrictions were put in place to safeguard the majority and to ensure lives and livelihoods can resume post-Covid-19.

At RM400 to RM600 a pop, the syndicate busted in Terengganu could well have pocketed RM760,000 to RM1.14 million from some 1,900 fake certs sold online since September 2021. If those numbers look alluring, even harsher punishments need to be handed down swiftly to send a strong message that whatever ill-gotten profits from selling fake vaccination certificates are not worth the risk. Audits on the number of certificates issued versus vaccines used is one way of weeding out fakes. With so much at stake, the selfish and greedy must pay the price.

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