KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 68 individuals were investigated for lodging false police reports regarding the loss of their identity card (MyKad) to avoid being fined by the National Registration Department from January to Nov 21 this year.

       Those who lose the MyKad for the first time will be fined RM100, the second time RM300 and the third time RM1,000.

       Sentul district police chief ACP Beh Eng Lai said all the individuals involved, aged between 18 and 60, lodged false reports at the Sentul District Police Headquarters (IPD) and claimed that they were victims of robbery and snatch theft.

       He said subsequent investigations found that most of the incidents reported were just fabrication and the loss of the MyKads was due to their own negligence.

       He said police had opened a total of 68 investigation papers and of that number, 59 had been charged in court while another nine were still being investigated under Section 182 of the Penal Code for making false reports.

       "The police take this matter seriously because irresponsible individuals making false reports will waste time and energy of investigating officers and government money to investigate non-existent cases," he told reporters at the Sentul IPD here.

       Beh advised the public to abide by the law, adding that stern action would be taken against errant individuals.

       He urged the public with information regarding these cases to contact the Sentul IPD operations room at 03-40482206. - Bernama