A MCA division leader has called for action against one of his counterparts who has been alleged to be involved in a citizenship scam.

"If it is true that a person is involved in this despicable scam, and is an MCA member and using MCA’s name for the wrong reasons, both criminal action and party disciplinary action must be taken against him," Petaling Jaya Utara MCA chief Tan Gim Tuan said in a statement yesterday.

He was responding to a police report was lodged against a MCA division leader for alleged fraud over the sum of RM165,000.

The division leader had allegedly claimed he could help a man secure Malaysian citizenship and a blue identity card for his friend, a Chinese national.

According to the police report, the MCA leader said the fee to obtain a Malaysian citizenship is RM400,000 and allegedly took a deposit of RM165,000 from the man.

According to Segambut MP Lim Lip Eng, who along with the victim lodged the police report yesterday, the said leader had contested in a previous general election.

When contacted, the man implicated told Malaysiakini his only involvement in the matter was that he had introduced the alleged scam victim to an intermediary.

Tan said even acting as an intermediary in a citizenship scam was wrong.

“In fact, it is wrong for anyone, even acting as an introducer, to be involved in such a wrongdoing involving the false procurement of citizenship," he said.

He warned the public not to fall for such scams, and to go through proper channels to secure citizenship.