OVER 200 ILLEGAL BASES ALONG SUNGAI GOLOK BORDER SHUT DOWN

PASIR MAS, May 4 (Bernama) -- More than 200 unauthorised bases along the Malaysian side of Sungai Golok border have been shut down following strict action by the Home Ministry to combat cross-border crimes, its minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said. 

He said the move was among the decisions adopted during the Committee on Strengthening National Border Control meeting he previously chaired, aimed at tightening surveillance along the 103-kilometre border route.

“The closure of illegal bases and implementation of an omnipresent (comprehensive presence) approach by security forces have successfully reduced illegal border crossings.

“There are no significant numbers (of individuals crossing borders illegally) (and) the trend has been controlled since December,” he told reporters after visiting the Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex in Rantau Panjang here today.

According to him, security control has been strengthened with 819 personnel deployed in rotation for monitoring and raid operations in border hotspot areas.

“When we close illegal bases and conduct consistent inspections, we see drug supplies decrease slightly. But we can’t become complacent as smugglers may find alternative routes,” he said. 

Saifuddin Nasution said authorities have detected a new trend of drug landings in Kuala Kedah and also Kuala Sanglang in Perlis, believed to be syndicates’ response to tightened border controls in Kelantan.

“I was informed last week about increased drug landings in Kedah. I'm investigating if this directly results from our Kelantan border crackdown,” he said, adding that he would consult the Kedah police chief (Datuk Fisol Salleh) on the matter.

He said ongoing surveillance would monitor for any rebuilt illegal bases, noting that smugglers constantly adapt their methods to evade detection.

-- BERNAMA