KOTA BARU: The renowned Senoi Praaq team, one of the finest jungle fighting forces since British Malaya, is set to assist the current General Operations Force (GOF) in guarding the Malaysia-Thailand border at Sungai Golok from Dec 1.
Kelantan police chief Comm Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat (pic) announced that more than 90 members of the GOF Senoi Praaq team from Bidor and Pengkalan Hulu, Perak, are slated to be stationed along the border posts.
The Senoi Praaq's formation, rooted in the Malayan Emergency (1948-60), has British SAS-trained personnel and is now part of the GOF, which was formerly known as the Police Field Force.
The decision to deploy this elite team at the national border has also been approved by Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Razarudin Husain, to strengthen border control. "The Senoi Praaq team, led by the Orang Asli community, is steadfast in its duty and is known for its unfaltering obedience to the leader's instructions," Comm Yusoff noted.
He stated that issues of smuggling and corruption at the national borders will be curbed, including at the northern border.
The announcement was made at the Kelantan police contingent headquarters on Monday (Nov 25).
From Dec 1, a battalion exchange ceremony will take place to transfer the border assignment from the GOF to Senoi Praaq.
Comm Yusoff anticipates that the restriction on Malaysians using illegal crossings at the Sungai Golok-Rantau Panjang route, coming into effect on Dec 1, will reduce smuggling by approximately 50% at the border. – Bernama
