PASIR MAS, Nov 24 — The law permitting the detention of Malaysians using illegal routes along the Sungai Golok-Rantau Panjang crossing, set to take effect on December 1, applies to everyone, including school students.
The National Security Council's (NSC) national security (security management) deputy director-general Hamzah Ishak said Malaysians are only allowed to cross the Malaysia-Thailand border via three gazetted checkpoints in Kelantan.
"The law will be enforced effective December 1. All border-related issues, including school students (using illegal routes from Sungai Golok to attend school in Rantau Panjang) under the Ministry of Education’s (MOE) jurisdiction, have been addressed.
"The MOE has developed strategies and plans. We must enforce this law to protect Malaysia's sovereignty and territorial integrity," he said.
Hamzah was speaking at a press conference following a three-hour NSC meeting at the Rantau Panjang Immigration, Customs, Quarantine, and Security Complex today.
A mechanism will be discussed with the MOE to address the issue of students who live in Thailand but attend school in Malaysia.
He noted that the law must be implemented carefully, with the support of the students’ parents.
"InsyaAllah, if the parents are on board, there will be no issues, and any border openings will be coordinated with the Thai authorities," Hamzah said.
He emphasised that Malaysians must only use the three gazetted border checkpoints in Kelantan for crossings between Malaysia and Thailand.
"Additional details on this matter will be shared by the Kelantan police chief (Datuk Mohd Yusoff Mamat) as necessary," Hamzah said.
Meanwhile, Kelantan Education Department director Datuk Mohd Zamri Abdul Aziz said discussions are ongoing to address the issue of students at the border using illegal routes.
The department has explored several proposals, which have been submitted to Education Minister Fadhlina Sidek for consideration.
It was previously reported that nearly 500 students from Thailand use illegal routes across the Sungai Golok daily to attend school in Malaysia.
On November 6, the Kelantan police announced that effective December 1, they will detain Malaysians crossing the Malaysia-Thailand border using illegal routes, particularly along Sungai Golok.
Yusoff said that the authorities will invoke Section 5(2) of the Immigration Act 1959/1963 to detain Malaysians using non-gazetted routes.
— Bernama
