GE15: Border controls on Saturday to be increased, says Johor top cop

KOTA TINGGI: National border controls will be stepped up especially ahead of the 15th general election (GE15) polling day on Saturday (Nov 19), said Johor police chief Datuk Kamarul Zaman Mamat.

He said his team together with enforcement agencies such as the Malaysian Armed Forces (MAF), Royal Malaysian Navy (RMN), Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency (MMEA) and Marine police will increase surveillance to ensure national waters, covering the 210 kilometres of the Johor coastline, are not breached.

Kamarul Zaman said this is to ensure no party tries to take advantage especially on polling day for example to smuggle illegal immigrants.

"All the country's enforcement assets will be mobilised in stages to monitor the Johor waters, from Mersing to Tanjung Pengelih.

"We will ensure that our borders will not be breached by any rogues during the election. We will make sure that control is also tightened," he told reporters after a ceremony with Agensi Penguatkuasa Sempadan Perairan Johor, in conjunction with the GE15, at Pos Tanjung Sepang, Bayu Damai here today.

Meawnhile, Kamarul Zaman said his team will increase the strength of personnel and officers working on polling day to 8,500 individuals from around 3,000 to 4,000 during the campaign period.

He also said the total number of personnel and officers on duty has been increased to ensure the GE15 process will proceed smoothly without any disruptions in all 25 parliamentary constituencies.

"For now, there are no hotspots. During the 11-day campaign period, there has not been any hotspots. However, we will assign all (police) personnel and if there are areas that need to have additional numbers, then we add them," he added.

-- BERNAMA