Most employers in Malaysia require their employees to submit a medical certificate for sick leave application as proof that they are indeed unfit for work for the stated period of time. As this legal certificate is just a piece of paper with the patient and doctor’s information, attempts to forge a medical certificate in order to obtain a sick leave can happen. Based on the stringent rules laid out by the Malaysian Medical Council (MMC) regarding the issuance of medical certificates, there are 3 ways to verify its validity.
Check if the doctor who issued the MC is registered under MMC
A medical certificate can only be issued by a doctor registered under the MMC who has had a face-to-face consultation with the patient. You can investigate the doctor’s background through the Medical Register Information and Technical System (MeRITS) with the doctor’s name and the system will display their MMC registration number. Make sure that the doctor’s full name and MMC registration number match the information shown on the medical certificate issued.
Look at the information displayed on the MC
A valid medical certificate needs to have the following information:
- Name and NRIC/passport number of the patient
- Date of doctor consultation and date of issuance.
- Dates and duration of the sick leave, in both number and words.
- Name, address, and contact numbers of the clinic.
- Name and MMC registration number of the doctor.
- Serial number.
Even though there are medical certificates issued in electronic formats such as PDF, this information should still be included in the document.
Call the clinic and inquire about the visit of a patient based on the serial number.
If you suspect that a medical certificate is forged, you can call the clinic to check whether a person has indeed visited the clinic for a doctor consultation. Although the clinic is not allowed to disclose the patient’s diagnosis without consent, they can verify the issuance of the medical certificate based on the serial number and other personal information stated on the medical certificate.
While the issuance of medical certificates is not foolproof, it is the only official way used by doctors to prove the inability of a patient to work for a certain period of time. With the advancement of technology, an auditable method more than just a piece of paper should be explored to curb the possible forgery of medical certificates. Revolutionising an age-old practice will not happen overnight but it can make the proof of medical certificate transparent and seamless for the benefit of both patients and employers.
