Fake awards: Police detain mastermind and 7 others

Eight individuals including the mastermind behind the issuance of dubious state awards and titles in Perak were detained by police in an 'Ops Anugerah' operation mounted since Feb 16.

State police chief Datuk Seri Abdul Rahim Hanafi said the suspects aged between 35 and 63 were nabbed separately in different states.

"The eight were tracked down in Johor, Kuala Lumpur, Perak and Penang by Perak police and Bukit Aman police.

"They were arrested under the Prevention of Crime Act 1959," he told a media conference after a police function here today.

According to him, the Sultan of Perak, Sultan Nazrin Shah had requested for the operation as the action by the syndicate had tarnished the image of the Perak royal institution.

Yesterday, the sultan called for stern action to be taken against the culprits and more stringent laws and heavier sentences to effectively curb such crime.

Abdul Rahim said since March 2013, Perak police had received four reports on awards of fake state medals and titles.

"We believe there are other suspects in the same syndicate who are still at large, we will continue the operation," he said.

Meanwhile, he said the state's crime index had risen particularly in property crime, by 18.1 percent or 215 cases.