MALAYSIA-THAI BORDER GATE WILL OPEN AT 6 AM FOR STUDENTS - POLICE

KOTA BHARU, Nov 25 (Bernama) -- There will be no compromise for Thai students crossing over illegally as the Malaysia-Thailand border gate will be opened as early as 6 am for students who live in Golok to attend school in Rantau Panjang from Dec 1, said Kelantan police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat.

Barring the option of students living in hostels or rented private lodging, he said all students can only to go through the gazetted route and are forbidden to go through illegal routes along Sungai Golok crossings by boat daily to Rantau Panjang.

"The decision was made and decided through a meeting with the National Security Council (MKN) held at the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security Complex (ICQS) in Rantau Panjang yesterday.

"I understand that the Thai authorities are also prepared to open their border gates as early as 6 am to allow students to pass through the ICQS," he said at the Kelantan police contingent headquarters here today.

Mohd Yusoff said the issue of opening the border gates at 6 am was previously implemented but was changed to 7 am since the COVID-19 epidemic hit the country.

He said based on the monitoring of students who boarded the boats (without an engine) using the illegal bases along the river, most did not wear life jackets and the overloaded boat are pulled with rope to make the river-crossing.

According to him, the system is quite worrying because students stand in the boat from Golok to cross over.

Meanwhile, when asked to comment on whether drug smugglers will use students who use ICQS to smuggle the prohibited substance, Mohd Yusoff said that it is a possibility.

"Therefore, we will conduct inspections through the ICQS entrance because it is easier to inspect students. Based on MKN information, there are 303 students who use illegal bases every day because they live in Golok," he said.

Mohd Yusoff said of that number, 221 were students under the Ministry of Education while 82 were students from the Kelantan Islamic Foundation.

Commenting on the arrest of Malaysians and Thais who pass through the Golok-Rantau Panjang illegal base that will take effect next month, Mohd Yusoff said 85 per cent of the people in both countries support the Malaysian police's action on this matter.

"I received positive feedback from them (Malaysian and Thai residents), only about 10 to 15 per cent did not support because they (are the ones likely to) commit crimes at the border," he said.

Today, Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek was reported to have said Malaysian students living in Thailand, identified by her ministry as crossing the Golok River through illegal bases every day to attend school here, will be placed in (Kelantan) dormitories.

According to her, discussions are being held with families and next of kin to place students in suitable dormitories as a measure for safety and ensure uninterrupted education for them.

Media previously reported that nearly 500 pupils and students from Thailand use illegal bases to cross the Golok River every day to go to school in Malaysia.

-- BERNAMA