KOTA BHARU: The Education Ministry (MoE) and the Ministry of Home Affairs must jointly establish a mechanism to resolve the issue of students from Sungai Golok in Thailand attending schools in Rantau Panjang, Kelantan Deputy Menteri Besar Datuk Dr Mohamed Fadzli Hassan said. He stated this as essential to ensure the education of affected students is not disrupted.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, Dr Mohamed Fadzli emphasized the need for collaboration between federal agencies and the state government to address the issues arising at the Malaysia-Thailand border. He expressed the state’s willingness to cooperate in resolving these issues, highlighting the delicate balance between ensuring educational access for the students and combating smuggling activities along the state’s borders.

Dr Mohamed Fadzli further explained that the Kelantan government cannot act independently on border issues, as they involve not only the state but two countries. This statement comes in light of a report on Nov 19 by a local n
ewspaper that nearly 500 students from Thailand cross Sungai Golok daily using illegal routes to attend school in Malaysia.

The situation has prompted action from law enforcement, with Kelantan police chief Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat indicating that starting Dec 1, police will detain Malaysians using illegal routes to cross the Malaysia-Thailand border, particularly along the Golok river. Mohd Yusoff also mentioned that authorities will enforce Section 5(2) of the Immigration Act 1959/1963 to arrest Malaysians crossing into Thailand via unapproved routes.