Govt plans to build walls to strengthen security control at Malaysia-Thai border

The government plans to build walls in the northern part of the peninsula, besides improving the surveillance in the Customs, Immigration and Quarantine (CIQ) areas and checkpoints, in a bid to tighten the security control at the Malaysia-Thai border.

Deputy Home Minister Datuk Seri Wan Junaidi Tuanku Jaafar said, the construction of the walls would probably be more effective in securing the border areas, as the security forces were incapable of monitoring over 100 rat routes along the 700km-long border areas separating Malaysia and Thailand.

He said he was also scheduled to meet with the Menteri Besar of Perlis, Kedah and Kelantan soon to inform them of the ministry's new instructions for the security personnel at the border to increase surveillance.

He said the security control at border checkpoints should also be strengthened, so that no one could travel in or out at the border areas at their whims and fancy, "or by simply putting up their hand or nodding their head."

"...such a leeway was once asked by the state governments to boost the tourism sector, but this is high time for me to discuss with the menteri besar of the states concerned that there should be no more nod or hand gesture to cross the border," he told reporters after attending the launch of Rumah Mesra Rakyat 1Malaysia (RMR1M) at Muara Tebas, about 30km from here.

The issue of border control surfaced following the discovery of camps and burial sites of victims of human trafficking in Perlis recently.