It was learned that the 31-year-old man had been charging people over RM2,000 for the digital certificate to appear in their MySejahtera mobile application since last October.

According to a well-placed source in the MACC, the suspect would use part of the money he received to pay off volunteers at a vaccination centre in Sabah.

The volunteers would then register the names of the individuals so that they could obtain the digital certificate in the app but without taking the vaccination jab.

The suspect was detained at the MACC office here at 1.30pm as part of the agency’s clampdown on the syndicate’s activities in the state capital.

Sabah MACC chief S Karunanithy confirmed the arrest, saying that the agency would apply for a remand order tomorrow.