Government to use latest equipment to improve control at Malaysia-Thai border

The government will use the latest equipment to improve patrol and inspection at all entry points along the Malaysia-Thai border, said Deputy Home Minister Datuk Nur Jazlan Mohamed.

He said all the equipment would be installed as soon as possible to also curb smuggling activities at the border.

"There are some shortcomings like lack of equipment such as scanners for inspection on people, goods and lorries," he told reporters after visiting the Rantau Panjang Immigration, Customs, Quarantine Complex here today.

Nur Jazlan said based on his observation at the Sungai Golok area, which borders Malaysia and Thailand, it was found that there some body scanners were damaged, and there was no equipment to scan goods and lorries crossing the border to Malaysia.

He said to strengthen security control at the borders, all enforcement agencies operating at the border under the ministry would be mobilised integratedly with enforcement agencies from other ministries.

Meanwhile, Nur Jazlan said from January to October this year, the Malaysian Border Security Agency had conducted 16,167 operations in Perlis, Kedah, Perak and Kelantan, involving seizure of goods worth RM32,470,858 and arrest of 516 illegal immigrants.

"Among the items seized were vehicles worth RM10,351,909, liquor and cigarettes (RM9,991,207), drugs (RM6,418,106) and currencies totalling RM2,469,026," he said.

He said the Malaysian authorities would also forge cooperation with the Thai authorities to curb smuggling activities, cross-border crimes and dual citizenship issue.

Asked on the proposed construction of a wall along the Malaysia-Thailand border, Nur Jazlan said the ministry was currently looking into the proposed implementation of a flood mitigation project along Sungai Golok which would be more suitable due to the uneven terrain in the area.

He said that besides preventing the occurrence of floods, the construction of retaining wall in the proposed projects could serve as a path for use by enforcement officers to carry out border patrol. --Bernama