KOTA BARU: The police will arrest any Malaysian crossing the Malaysia-Thailand border illegally, especially at Sungai Golok, from Dec 1.
Kelantan police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat said police would arrest Malaysians who do not use the Rantau Panjang Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex to enter Thailand under Section 5 (2) of the Immigration Act 1959/63 for using ungazetted routes.
"I have instructed all police officers and personnel, including the General Operations Force to arrest Malaysians going to and coming from Thailand through illegal routes.
"I would like to remind all Malaysians wishing to enter neighbouring countries illegally that we will arrest them. All this time they think it’s not a problem to enter Thailand illegally,” he said in a special media conference at the Kelantan contingent police headquarters here on Monday (Nov 19).
He reiterated that Malaysians need to enter legally via the ICQS and the arrests would be to curb rampant smuggling.
"They tend to smuggle drugs, pistols and raw materials through these illegal routes and cross freely between Malaysia and Thailand.
"If they use the ICQS, the authorities can inspect vehicles and control smuggling,” he said, adding that security controls along the Malaysia-Thailand border will be boosted and tightened, and that Thai nationals entering Malaysia illegally will also be arrested.
On school students from both countries crossing the border illegally, Mohd Yusoff said they too would need to enter legally through the ICQS, adding that the matter had been discussed in a state planning committee regarding national borders.
"We know a lot of students in Malaysia study in ‘pondok’ schools in Thailand and there are Thai students studying in ‘pondok’ schools in Malaysia.
"I will discuss this issue with the state government, but an offence is still an offence,” he said. - Bernama
