PUTRAJAYA: The Education Ministry will investigate reports of students from Thailand crossing Sungai Golok daily to attend school in Malaysia, says Fadhlina Sidek.
The Education Minister said that if these students are Malaysians, this should not occur as the government has provided various access and educational facilities for its citizens.
"If these children are Malaysians, they should attend school in Malaysia and there should be no safety concerns regarding crossing the river.
"But we will investigate and take note of this matter because the reported number of pupils crossing the river is extremely high,” she told reporters after attending the opening of the MPH Bookstores outlet at the Alamanda shopping mall on Tuesday (Nov 19).
A local daily reported that nearly 500 students from Thailand use illegal bases to cross Sungai Golok daily to attend school in Malaysia.
A survey found that as early as 6.30am, students were already waiting for boats to cross over to Malaysia, at a fee of RM1 per student, with five illegal bases popular among the students, including the Jambu, Ibrahim Pencen and Paun bases.
Kelantan police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat said on Monday (Nov 18) that police will arrest any Malaysian using illegal routes to cross the Malaysia-Thailand border, especially along Sungai Golok from Dec 1.
Mohd Yusoff added that police will take action under Section 5(2) of the Immigration Act 1959/1963 to arrest Malaysians going to Thailand using ungazetted routes.
In response to queries about students from Thailand and Malaysia using these routes to study in both countries, Mohd Yusoff said they too need to enter legally through the Rantau Panjang Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) Complex.
He said the matter had been discussed in the state planning committee meeting regarding the national border. – Bernama
