Rantau panjang: The installation of Concertina wire along the 1.8-kilometre stretch from Pos Ibrahim Pencen to Muhibbah bridge in Rantau Panjang, Pasir Mas, needs to be expedited to curb ongoing cross-border criminal activities. Commander of the Southeast Brigade of the General Operations Force (GOF) Datuk Nik Ros Azhan Nik Ab Hamid said the route is frequently used by residents to illegally cross the border and smuggle goods.
According to BERNAMA News Agency, Nik Ros Azhan highlighted that a previous installation of Concertina wire at an illegal base near Bukit Lata, which borders the town of Mundok in Thailand, was damaged by smugglers. He expressed concerns that smuggling activities, particularly involving drugs, firearms, and illegal immigrants, could become more rampant if the security barrier is not installed immediately. The Kelantan government has agreed to the proposal, and a similar proposal has been submitted to the authorities in Thailand.
During a working visit with Deputy Secretary-General (Sectoral) of the Ministry of Economy, Datuk Luqman Ahmad, to the Malaysia-Thailand border, Nik Ros Azhan requested that the Home Ministry improve facilities and control posts along the border to suit the assignment of GOF members. He emphasized the need for closed-circuit television cameras and surveillance drones, noting that two posts have been fully completed and should be handed over to the GOF soon.
The GOF has also applied for the construction of eight new control posts in hotspots such as Pulau Tengkorak and Sungai Mentua in Pengkalan Kubor. Additionally, there is a proposal to build a post at the illegal Syed Agil base near Rantau Panjang to deter criminal activities through the presence of on-duty personnel.
Nik Ros Azhan noted that this move demonstrates the government’s concern in tightening border control. However, he stressed that local residents also need to change and no longer depend on smuggled goods for income. Previously, Kelantan police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat stated that 128 illegal jetties along Sungai Golok, from Pengkalan Kubor to Rantau Panjang, would be demolished by local authorities after receiving permission from the state government.