KUALA LUMPUR: The Immigration Department and police have been instructed to assist 34 students detained for crossing the Malaysia-Thailand border via illegal routes to obtain valid travel documents.
Home Minister Datuk Seri Saifuddin Nasution Ismail said the intervention aims to balance enforcement with the educational needs of border communities.
The students reside in Thailand but attend school in Rantau Panjang and Pasir Mas, Kelantan.
“On Wednesday (April 15), I instructed the Director-General of Immigration and the Kelantan police chief to assist these children in facilitating their travel documents,” he said at a press conference on Thursday (April 16).
Saifuddin stressed that while border communities share close family ties, all movement must comply with the law.
“Any movement across the border must have valid travel documents. This is important because border areas are exposed to crimes including drug smuggling, firearms and human trafficking,” he said.
He noted that while the government has previously facilitated smoother movement by opening border gates earlier, police will still investigate why the students used illegal crossing points.
“A border pass costs about RM10 and can be used for easier movement,” he added, warning that smuggling syndicates remain a threat and often exploit vulnerable groups.
The 34 students, aged seven to 16, were detained on Sunday (April 12) after crossing Sungai Golok illegally. They were released on police bail on Monday night (April 13).
In a separate development, the National Registration Department has resolved all 12,101 cases of missing identity documents involving students identified since June last year.
Saifuddin said the cases were processed under the MEKAR Didik initiative, a joint programme with the Education Ministry to ensure students have essential documents like birth certificates and MyKad.
“Out of the 12,101 cases, all have been processed. Today, we are handing over documents to 31 recipients, including 19 students from Sekolah Bimbingan Jalinan Kasih,” he said.
He added that missing documentation often stems from unregistered marriages, family separations or parents facing social issues.
