The source said two were picked up from Seberang Jaya Hospital and one from Bukit Mertajam Hospital this morning.

“There’s a likelihood that more will be arrested soon in connection with the cartel that has been making Socso claims with falsified documents with the help of doctors working in cahoots with them,” the source told FMT.

When contacted, MACC chief Azam Baki confirmed the arrests.

In July, a senator urged the human resources ministry to clear the air over the alleged suspension of doctors handling Socso disability claims said to be linked to a cartel that falsifies such applications.

He told the Dewan Negara that the panel was suspended until further notice after Socso discovered the racket at a hospital in Penang.

The senator said he was made to understand the cartel was lobbying for the suspended panel to be brought back to the same hospital.

He reminded the upper house that there were 683 fraudulent withdrawals between 2018 and 2022 involving some RM43 million and that 16 of these cases involved one particular doctor whose services were terminated after the discovery.

He also asked how many had been charged in court over the matter, adding that all those involved must be brought to justice.

He added that reports on all the fraud cases must be made public as “what we know is just the tip of the iceberg”.