KOTA BHARU, Kelantan: Police have advised locals living along Sungai Golok along the Malaysia-Thailand border to use legal routes if they wish to visit relatives in conjunction with Aidilfitri.
Kelantan Police Chief, Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat, said police are looking into the matter seriously due to the possibility of an increase in illegal cross-border movement, especially as water levels in Sungai Golok have become increasingly shallow.
“The shallow river conditions could create opportunities for certain parties to cross illegally, particularly during the festive season. I urge the public not to break the law and to use legal routes to avoid strict action,” he said when contacted on Saturday.
He added that enforcement and monitoring efforts would be intensified in hotspots frequently used by locals and Thai nationals for illegal crossings.
“The public is reminded to use authorised Immigration, Customs, Quarantine and Security (ICQS) complexes such as those in Rantau Panjang, Pengkalan Kubor and Bukit Bunga,” he said.
Earlier, Rantau Panjang Malaysian Border Control and Protection Agency (AKPS) Deputy Commander, Bakri Sulaiman, said about 50,000 travellers are expected to use the Rantau Panjang ICQS complex within three days before and three days after Hari Raya Aidilfitri.
He said the figure includes inbound and outbound movements between the two countries during the festive period. – BERNAMA
