KUALA LUMPUR — As many as 540 illegal routes have been identified nationwide as of February, said Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Datuk Seri Mohd Khalid Ismail.
He said the routes consisted of 316 land routes and 224 maritime routes across 10 states except Kuala Lumpur, Penang, Terengganu and Pahang.
“Malaysia has extensive land and maritime borders with Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Brunei, the Philippines, as well as international waters in the South China Sea and the Sulu Sea.
“These border areas not only function as legitimate trade routes and human movement routes but are also exploited to carry out cross-border criminal activities,” he said in his speech at the Ramadan Iftar Ceremony with Tourism, Arts and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing, here, today.
Mohd Khalid’s speech was read by Deputy Director of E3A, Bukit Aman Special Branch, SAC Shaidatul Akmar Mohd Noor during the National Security Review session at the event organised by the Ministry of Tourism, Arts and Culture and Tourism Malaysia.
Mohd Khalid said that although efforts to maintain border security face various challenges, the Royal Malaysian Police (PDRM) uses a comprehensive, integrated and phased border security strategy, in line with national security priorities and in line with the ever-changing regional geopolitical landscape.
He said the approach was based on the principles of early prevention, strict enforcement, regional cooperation and sustainable security management to ensure the country’s borders remain secure.
“To address the issue of illegal crossings, PDRM has intensified land, river and maritime patrols in an integrated manner with other security agencies, in addition to strengthening enforcement cooperation and information sharing with foreign enforcement bodies,” he said.
Mohd Khalid said PDRM together with other security agencies continued to actively monitor border areas and tourist hotspots to safeguard the well-being of visitors.
He also stressed that Malaysia had strengthened its security framework through the use of sophisticated surveillance technology, enhanced intelligence sharing and close cooperation between agencies, supported by international partnerships to respond effectively to emerging threats.
“These proactive efforts ensure that Malaysia remains a safe and friendly destination for visitors,” he said.
— BERNAMA
