121km 'Great Wall' of Malaysia to Separate Us From Thailand. Good Idea?

THE Home Ministry plans to gazette areas connected to Kelantan's border with Thailand, which spans 121km, as a security area to prevent cross-border crime.

nst.com.my

Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ahmad Zahid Hamidi said the plan would involve constructing wall and perimeter fencing along the bank of Sungai Golok, which is the natural territory separating Kelantan from Thailand.

nst.com.my

Malaysia will be able to go ahead with plans to build a wall and perimeter fence along Sungai Kolok - which separates Kelantan from Narathiwat province - after getting the go-ahead from Thailand.

Zahid said that by having the wall and perimeter fence, it would deter drugs and firearms smuggling activities besides stopping criminals from fleeing across territories.

nst.com.my

"The idea was proposed by the Kelatan state police, and I agree that it should be gazetted quickly. I think a long-term solution to the problem is to build a wall and gazette the border as a security area."

nst.com.my

On whether the state government would be informed of the matter, he said security issues were under the ambit of the federal government, but Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Yakob would be kept fully-informed.

nst.com.my

He said residents living along the river would not be relocated, but all illegal jetties would be destroyed and more policemen would be assigned to the area.

nst.com.my

"I realise the livelihood of people living along the border will be affected by the proposed plan. But we have to stop the smuggling of firearms and drugs andprevent criminals escaping across the border. We cannot take into account only the economic factors involved, as the country's security must also be a priority."

nst.com.my

The Straits Times Singapore reported that Thai-Malaysia Regional Border Committee secretary Adisak Prachakittikul said that as the construction would not affect Thai territory, Thai authorities had no problem with the plan.

themalaysianinsider.com

Thai-Malaysian Regional Border Committee secretary Adisak Prachakittikul said Thailand did not see any problem with Malaysia's plan because the construction would not encroach on Thai territory.

"We believe it will be good for the countries in preventing the smuggling of contraband goods," Col Adisak said.

Col Adisak said Thailand had a similar plan to build a wall and fence along the border to prevent smuggling and other forms of border crime.

"The Internal Security Operations Command's Region 4 is conducting an aerial survey to assess the feasibility of a wall and fence on the Thai side," he said.

This is because the country is also said to have problems with its other neighbours, namely Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia, where the total length of the border is 2,000km.

themalaysianinsider.com

Kelantan state is opposite Narathiwat's Sukhirin, Sungai Kolok, Tak Bai and Waeng districts.

For more than 50 years, illegal jetties have sprouted along Sungai Golok, the river that acts as the common border for Kelantan on the Malaysian side and Narathiwat in Thailand. These illegal jetties have served as the 'diplomatic bridge' between the people on both sides of the common border as many of them have blood ties with those on the other side of the divide.

One of the reasons that smuggling is difficult to be suppressed along this common border is due to the presence of these illegal jetties. "However these jetties are the link between families and relatives staying on both sides of the river," he said.

The 95km-long Sungai Golok is very narrow, and at many locations along the snaking river, the banks on the opposite sides are mere metres apart.

SAYS is Malaysia's social news network. Find today's must-share stories, news and videos everyday, produce and brought to you by Malaysian social media users!

facebook.com

SAYS is Malaysia's social news network. Find today's must-share stories, news and videos everyday, produce and brought to you by Malaysian social media users!

facebook.com